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A group of women in ecstasy before Madhava, folio 4 from a Madhavanala-Kamakandala

Unknown

1720

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Mughal Painting 18th Century Religious

Dominant colour

A group of women in ecstasy before Madhava, folio 4 from a Madhavanala-Kamakandala is a 1720 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1720 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a small painting of women lost in music—some swaying, some fainting, one even removing her jewelry. The scene comes from a love story written by a Sufi Muslim poet, but Hindu courts in the Pahari kingdoms used it for entertainment. The women’s reactions show how deep devotion should feel, whether to a god or a lover. To see more art from this region, look up Pahari kingdoms.

The story of this work

Overview

The raptures of Madhava’s audience intensify. As he plays, the music becomes increasingly climactic. Several women stand immobilized; others make emotive gestures. Some faint, while others feel compelled to remove their clothes and jewelry. Written by a Sufi Muslim poet embracing mysticism, the story shows how devotees should feel toward Allah, god of Islam. In the Hindu courts of Pahari India, however, the story provided entertainment for the educated elite. The women’s ecstasies can also be viewed in the context of the Hindu devotional movement ( bhakti ), characterized by using poetry and…