Artwork
Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga, from a Ragamala
Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga, from a Ragamala is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The painting is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is recorded as accession number 2018.
Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga is a painting from a Ragamala series dated to 1650, attributed to an unknown artist and produced in the Malwa region of central India. The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art in 2018 as accession number 2018.131, where it is currently held.
The painting is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is recorded as accession number 2018.131.
It was included in the museum’s 2018 reinstallation of its Indian art holdings, which presented the work within the context of seventeenth-century Malwa painting traditions.
Overview
The work titled Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga, from a Ragamala depicts a vivid court scene on a red stage. A crowned figure in a striped robe watches three musicians, a drummer, a wind‑instrument player, and a string‑instrument player, while two attendants in elaborate headgear flank the scene, one holding a scroll. A pink‑walled building with white windows forms the backdrop, accompanied by two white elephants adorned with red and gold.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates a royal patronage of music, a common theme in Indian ragamala traditions that link specific ragas to visual narratives. The seated king, relaxed and holding a fan, signifies the dignified reception of the Shri Raga, while the musicians embody the auditory expression of that mode. The attendant with a scroll may represent the written notation or poetic description of the raga.
Technique & Style
Executed in a flat, decorative manner, the painting employs bold, saturated colors and stylized forms characteristic of Indian miniature traditions. The use of a bright red stage and the simplified, two‑dimensional rendering of figures and architecture emphasize pattern over perspective, while the intricate detailing on the crowns, robes, and elephant decorations showcases fine brushwork.
Context
Ragamala series originated in the 16th‑century Mughal and Rajput courts, pairing musical modes with allegorical scenes. This piece follows that convention, translating the auditory qualities of Shri Raga into a visual tableau. The inclusion of courtly attire, ceremonial fans, and decorative elephants situates the work within a royal Indian setting, reflecting the cultural importance of music as a symbol of refined governance.
Artist & collection
