Artwork
Krishna and Radha
Krishna and Radha is a paint painting by the Contemporary Abstract artist Jagdami Devi. It dates from 1973 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1973 by Jagdami Devi, the work titled Krishna and Radha presents the Hindu deity Krishna playing his flute alongside his beloved companion Radha. The pair are rendered in vivid, flat hues and positioned on a decorative platform, surrounded by dense floral and geometric motifs that fill the background.
Subject & Meaning
The composition draws on the well‑known mythic relationship between Krishna and Radha, emblematic of divine love in Hindu tradition. By placing the figures in close proximity and emphasizing their interaction, the painting evokes the spiritual intimacy celebrated in devotional narratives.
Technique & Style
Executed in the Madhubani (Maithil) tradition of northern Bihar, the piece employs the characteristic bold outlines, flat color fields, and intricate patterning of flowers, dots and lines. The figures are stylized with simplified facial features and lack shading, while the surrounding designs create a sense of rhythmic movement.
History & Provenance
Madhubani painting originated as a domestic art practiced by Brahmin and Kayastha women on village walls. After a 1934 earthquake attracted the attention of scholar W.G. Archer, the style entered the commercial market in the 1960s, shifting to paper and canvas. Jagdami Devi’s 1973 canvas reflects this transition and the growing visibility of the genre.
Context
The work belongs to a broader wave of Indian folk painting that gained national and international recognition in the mid‑20th century. Artists such as Jagdami Devi helped expand Madhubani beyond ritual contexts, adapting its motifs for contemporary audiences while retaining its cultural roots.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jagdami Devi kept a cramped studio in a Delhi alley where she painted on whatever was handy, old sari scraps, newsprint, even the back of a calendar.
