Artwork
Palace women enjoy music by the side of a cascade
Palace women enjoy music by the side of a cascade is an unspecified painting by the Pahari Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1780 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting depicts a leisure scene in a palace garden, where a woman relaxes by a waterfall and enjoys a musical performance.
- Accession no.
- 2018.105
- Credit line
- Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
About this work
Overview
This painting depicts a leisure scene in a palace garden, where a woman relaxes by a waterfall and enjoys a musical performance.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, surrounded by attendants, appreciates the music with a companion, conveying a sense of indulgence and camaraderie among the palace women.
Technique & Style
The artwork is characterized by its use of bright colors and fine details, reflecting the artistic style of the Pahari kingdoms in northern India, where such paintings were created to showcase royal life.
Context
The painting was produced for the small courts of the Pahari kingdoms, where artists were commissioned to create artworks that would impress visitors and reflect the opulence of royal life.
Artist & collection
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The Morning Toilette
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A Disconsolate Lady on a Terrace with Attendants
A princess with attendants on a terrace
Augury of the crow (Vasakasajja Nayika)
Harem night-bathing scene, from the Late Shah Jahan Album (recto)
The Heroine Who is Faithfully Loved: Madhya Svadhinapatika Nayika, from a Rasamanjari of Bhanudatta