Poet Jayadev worshipping Radha and Krishna,Basohli Painting by Manaku, 1730 CE
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Natural Dye |
| Current Location: | National Museum, New Delhi |
| Location History: | The series originally consisted of approximately 150 folios. Over fifty folios are in the Lahore Museum including the final folio bearing the colophon (I.66 0862/1925). Further folios are in various other public institutions including the National Museum, New Delhi; Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh (I 28, 41, 68, 72); Museum Rietberg, Zurich (RVI 990, 2107), San Diego Museum of Art (1990:1050, 1226, the second folio formerly in the collection of Edwin Binney 3rd). Four folios are illustrated in Goswamy & Fischer 192, no.100-4, pp.252-7. For a list of other publications which illustrate folios from this series, see Beach, Fischer, Goswamy 2011, p.642. For a folio depicting Krishna dancing with gopis on either side, which sold at auction, see Christie’s London, 11 October 1988, lot 85. |
Jayadeva is depicted in the painting as a devout follower of Radha & Krishna through piety. The relationship among all three is an example of Jayadeva’s devotion to Krishna. Krishna’s skin colour was dark blue as he was seated on a lotus with Radha. The flower lotus represents purity, divine love, and being sacred. Therefore, all of Krishna & Radha's clothes were beautifully adorned with ornaments/dress, demonstrating that both Krishna & Radha were of the divine. The large tree next to Krishna and Radha represents the natural beauty of the landscape of Vrindavan, which was very much a part of Krishna’s life and devotion. The white bird flying in the sky provides an added vibration of peace/spirit to the painting, while the bright yellow painting in the background enhances the overall character of the scene and emphasises Krishna and Radha. In addition, the painting serves as a visual documentation of Gita Govinda, combining Jayadeva’s spirituality, poetry, and artistic tradition of the Pahari school. The overall content of the painting and the elements used (symbols, bright colours, flat background) to emphasise the visual religious value of the paintings are representative of the features that make up the typical Basohli style of painting. Also, the painting creates an artistic representation of Manaku as a contributing artist in Indian art history concerning the development of Vaishnava narrative painting.