Krishna and Radha
India, Rajasthan, Jaipur; circa 1800
More about Radha-Krishna at Wikipedia.
From the Museum site: The 16th-century poet Shribhatta composed verses about Krishna and Radha that, when sung, would evoke a variety of amorous moods. The two verses are in Vrajabhasha, a Hindi dialect. The unknown Jaipur artist has not followed the poems literally, but he has expressed the different moods of the poems using the same composition, with subtle variations. On the left, the poem reads: Krishna, eager to enjoy the beauty of his beloved's face, wants to charm her with endless talk of love. She coyly resists his verbal advances and asks him to stop, but Krishna sees through her and, with a smile, touches her face. And on the right: Like a devout spouse, the beautiful Radha offers a betel quid to Krishna. Holding his long garland, she speaks melodiously, and both become radiantly happy.
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