Nayika Awaits Her Lover, page from a series illustrating the Rasikapriya of Keshavadasa

Ibrahim

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Object Label

This painting illustrates the Hindu text called the Rasikapriya, which describes the many stages of a romantic relationship using the love affair between the Hindu god Krishna and his beloved, Radha, as an example. Here, the romantic heroine (also known as a nayika) sits talking to her friend, presumably about Krishna, not knowing that he is standing behind her.

One of the interesting features of this painting is the canopy: it should probably be read as standing above their heads, but all four posts end behind the terrace. The arrangement defies logic, but ensures that the posts do not block our view of the main characters. Such spatial incongruities are relatively common in Indian painting, where illusion was less important than legibility and attractiveness.

Caption

Ibrahim. Nayika Awaits Her Lover, page from a series illustrating the Rasikapriya of Keshavadasa, 1692. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 9 1/2 x 6 1/4 in. (24.1 x 15.9 cm) image: 7 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. (20.0 x 14.0 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 81.192.3. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 81.192.3_IMLS_PS4.jpg)

Gallery

Not on view

Collection

Asian Art

Artist

Ibrahim

Title

Nayika Awaits Her Lover, page from a series illustrating the Rasikapriya of Keshavadasa

Date

1692

Geography

Place made: Rajasthan, India

Medium

Opaque watercolor on paper

Classification

Painting

Dimensions

sheet: 9 1/2 x 6 1/4 in. (24.1 x 15.9 cm) image: 7 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. (20.0 x 14.0 cm)

Inscriptions

Verso, In Braj, in black ink, in Devanagari script: The work of Ibrahim. Samvat l749 [A.D. l692]. (Trans. V. Desai) The library stamp of the Maharaja of Bikaner.

Credit Line

Anonymous gift

Accession Number

81.192.3

Rights

No known copyright restrictions

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