Artwork

Leaf from a Kalighat album: Woman Playing Music (recto); Krishna Stroking Radha's Feet (verso)

Leaf from a Kalighat album: Woman Playing Music (recto); Krishna Stroking Radha's Feet (verso) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1896 in Kolkata, the piece juxtaposes a mundane musical performance with a sacred narrative from the Krishna-Radha tradition.

The artwork features two distinct scenes on a single leaf. The recto side depicts a woman playing music, representing a contemporary figure from nineteenth-century Kolkata society. The verso side illustrates the Hindu deity Krishna stroking the feet of Radha, a classic iconographic moment symbolizing divine love, devotion, and the intimate bond between the god and his consort.

Created in 1896 in Kolkata, the piece juxtaposes a mundane musical performance with a sacred narrative from the Krishna-Radha tradition. This duality reflects the Kalighat painting style's tendency to blend everyday life with mythological themes, offering a glimpse into the cultural and spiritual landscape of the period.

History & Provenance

The double-sided painting was executed around 1896 in Kolkata, where Kalighat artists produced such album leaves for pilgrims and visitors to the Kalighat temple. The work, which depicts the figure of Krishna, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, which acquired it in 2003 as part of a group accession numbered 2003.133. No specific exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.

Legacy

The work titled "Leaf from a Kalighat album: Woman Playing Music (recto); Krishna Stroking Radha's Feet (verso)" was created in 1896 in Kolkata and is held in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

As a Kalighat painting, it portrays the divine couple Krishna and Radha, reflecting the devotional subjects typical of the genre. Its presence in a major museum highlights its recognized significance within Indian folk art traditions.

Overview

This painting, titled Leaf from a Kalighat album: Woman Playing Music (recto); Krishna Stroking Radha's Feet (verso), is a single sheet from a larger collection. The recto depicts a woman engaged in musical performance, while the verso features a scene of Krishna tending to Radha. This artwork exemplifies the distinctive style associated with Kalighat painting, characterized by its vibrant palette and narrative focus, often capturing everyday life or mythological themes.

Technique & Style

The painting employs a striking visual language, utilizing bright colors such as a vivid yellow background and a rich red sari, which contribute to its energetic quality. Intricate patterns are evident in the woman's clothing and the decorative elements like the white curtain with green tassels. The artist's use of defined lines and bold color blocks creates a sense of vibrancy and directness, characteristic of popular Indian painting traditions.

Leaf from a Kalighat album: Krishna as Kali worshipped by Radha (recto); Krishna quells the serpent Kaliya (verso)

Artist & collection

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

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