Born into a family of artists, Devidasa was trained in the traditional Pahari style of painting from a very young age. He became known for painting in the Basohli painting style that emerged in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This style is marked by its bold colours, intense emotional intensity, and stylised facial features. Devidasa is best known for his Rasamanjari series, featuring bold colours and dramatic, emotional scenes, often depicting courtly love and divine mythology, such as Shiva and Parvati. This painting shows a half-open doorway, and a male figure can be seen just outside the door with his back turned towards the entrance, indicating the lover’s hasty departure from the palace of his mistress. The marble gateway with darkened portal visually separates the two and suggests the barrier between the two worlds. Unlike earlier versions of this theme, in which the nayaka (lover hero) is represented as Krishna, here that role is played by a princely figure, adding heightened realism to the scene.

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