Krishna and Radha Avoid Embarrassment: Mottaita Bhava, from a Rasikapriya
1640
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1640
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Krishna and Radha Avoid Embarrassment: Mottaita Bhava, from a Rasikapriya is a 1640 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, depicting Madhya Pradesh, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see two lovers, Krishna and Radha, hiding behind a tree while a nosy friend peeks from the bushes. Their bodies curve like the branches around them, and their clothes shimmer in bright blues and pinks. This painting is part of a book of poems about love’s awkward moments. The same scene is painted on both sides of the paper—one side for each lover’s feelings. The artist shows how embarrassment can feel the same, even when you’re apart. To see more paintings like this, look up central india, madhya pradesh, malwa.
The double-sided leaf is based on the theme of embarrassing situations avoided by trickery. Both sides are presented with the same composition and color palette, indicating the unity of emotion felt by the hero and the heroine. The paintings in concert with the verses explore a complex emotion experienced by lovers, its causes, and how it causes the lovers to react.
Double-sided leaves are rare among painted Rasikapriya sets.
Read the full account in the museum source.
