This illustration, titled Krishna Observes Radha, "Half Hidden, Half Revealed", is from a collection of love poems called the Sat Sai, meaning Seven Hundred Verses, by the poet Bihari Lal Chaube. It was painted sometime between 1755 and 1795 by an unknown artist in India. This type of art has many names, including illustration, miniature, and manuscript art. Manuscript art illustrates epics, fables and religious texts, as well providing visualization to oral narratives.
The Mughal Empire (1526-1757) established studios at the imperial court to make miniature art inspired by the neighboring Persians. Schools of art also sprung up in the hill kingdoms across the north of India. The numerous small courts in the region offered opportunities for talented painters seeking new opportunities. There, artists developed a distinctive Pahari style of painting, which translates to "from the mountains." Surprisingly little is known about the authorship of individual series of paintings, and works cannot be assigned confidently to specific artists.
In this painting, the young woman, Radha, visits Krishna to borrow curds for fermenting milk. The poem for this miniature is as follows:
The unmatched brilliance of her earrings shines through her thin garment;
It seems as if a leafy branch of the Tree of Paradise is glittering on the ocean.
She looked at me smilingly, after turning back from the door-step;
She came to take curds, but she planted her love in my heart.
Krishna is the complete human incarnation of Indian Hindu deity Vishnu. While Vishnu takes many forms, Krishna is the best-known, and well-honored. Krishna is easily recognizable in paintings and illustrations due to his blue skin. Legends say it was caused by a poisonous milk he drank as a child. Hindu art frequently depicts Krishna's life, from his early years as a baby and active child to his latter years as a divine lover and faithful protector of the righteous. Each persona provided a unique way for believers to connect with their deity.
Radha and Krishna Walk in a Flowering Grove- Met Museum
This is another manuscript art, currently on display in the Met Museum. In this painting, Krishna and Radha look into each other's eyes. The abundance of birds, the blossoming trees, and the tying together of their bodies and clothing are all signs of their love. This masterpiece expresses the traditional Indian belief that nature echoes human desire. In Kota and other Rajasthani courts, the depiction of nobility as the lovers Krishna and Radha was a common pictorial topic.
The Maidens of Braj- Cincinnati Art Museum
This is a page of manuscript art from the "Fifth Basohli Bhagavata Purana," held at the Cincinnati Art Museum. It illustrates a group of women visiting a natural site to worship the goddess Katyani.
While the Sat Sai was one popular text for manuscript art, the Bhagavata Purana is another. It is one of Hinduism’s eighteen Puranas, which is genre of Indian literature strong on traditional oral narratives. It discusses cosmology, astronomy, geography, legend, yoga, culture, and dance, and promotes devotion towards Krishna.
This is a painting by Pakistani artist Shahzia Sikander. Sikander is one of the most influential artists of the neo-miniature movement, in Pakistan and around the world. Traditionally, men were both the creators and subjects of manuscript art, but Sikander and her protagonists are all women. In this painting, she portrays female cowherds known as Gopis. Sikander presents these Gopis as strong and even hostile- very different from their normal role as Krishna's flirts and lovers. Sikander adds another twist to the story: Krishna is absent from the artwork. To replace him, she substitutes pieces of floating shadows.
Here are two articles about Shahzia Sikander, both of which discuss the way she brings women to the forefront of a previously male art form.
