Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga, from a Ragamala
1650
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1650
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Three Musicians Perform Before a King: Shri Raga, from a Ragamala is a 1650 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, depicting Madhya Pradesh, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A king sits on a throne under a golden canopy, listening to three musicians. One plays a long-necked vina, another clangs cymbals, and a drummer stands beside them. The king’s legs are wrapped in a yogic band, a detail that hints at spiritual practice. This painting comes from a *Ragamala*—a set of images that pair music and mood. Each scene matches a melody, or *raga*, meant to be felt, not just heard. The blue-skinned musician might be a god or sage, blending devotion with art. To see more of these musical scenes, look up the subject central india, madhya pradesh, malwa.
A king sits on a throne with a yogic band around his legs, listening to the music of two sages: a blue-skinned sage on a stringed instrument (vina), and a white-skinned one playing cymbals. A standing percussionist accompanies them on a drum. An attendant behind the king holds the royal canopy over his head.
Rainspouts in the form of mythical elephant-crocodiles ( makara ) hold yellow flags in their trunks.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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