Artwork
Kedara Ragini
Kedara Ragini is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Kedara Ragini portrays a Hindu goddess in a dynamic, ecstatic dance, embodying divine feminine energy and spiritual fervor. Her gestures and posture convey both sensuality and devotion, symbolizing the union of cosmic forces and the triumph of divine love. The work thus represents the interplay of creation, destruction, and transcendence within Hindu theological narratives.
History & Provenance
The painting Kedara Ragini, dated to 1650, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland.
Kedara Ragini is a painting created in 1650 and attributed to an unknown artist. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it has remained since its inception. Its provenance reflects a direct transfer into the museum's holdings, establishing its current ownership.
The painting is catalogued under the accession number 1964.452 within the museum's collection.
The painting Kedara Ragini, dated to 1650, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. The work is cataloged under the accession number 1964.452. The provided sources do not record any specific exhibition history for this piece.
Context
Kedara Ragini is classified as a painting from 1650, attributed to an unknown artist. It is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is documented as part of their holdings (1964.452). The work is contextualized within the broader corpus of Indian miniature painting traditions, though specific scholarly commentary on its reception or historical significance is not detailed in the provided sources.
Overview
Kedara Ragini is a painted work that shows a seated figure astride a white bovine, engaged in playing a stringed instrument. The scene is set against a vivid red backdrop, punctuated by white floral motifs on the left. Above the central figures, two peacocks occupy a ledge, facing one another, while a striped white structure with a finial crowns the ledge.
Technique & Style
The composition emphasizes detailed rendering of the instrument and the animal’s flesh in the foreground, contrasting with a more simplified treatment of the background elements. The use of bright, saturated colors, red, white, green, and the peacocks’ blues, creates visual tension, and the patterned ledge adds ornamental complexity typical of decorative painting traditions.
Artist & collection
