Vasant Ragini, Page from a Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes)

India (Rajasthan, Amber)

Not on view

Vasant (spring) is evoked here by the dancing nobleman playing the role of Krishna in celebration of the coming of spring, witnessed by the flowering plants in the foreground, the flowers in the nobleman’s headdress, and the golden vessel with flowers balanced on his raised hand. The allusion to Krishna is secured by the nobleman’s skirt of peacock feathers, which are closely associated with the playful god, and the circular grouping created by the female musicians accompanying him; together, they consciously recall Krishna’s rāslīlā dance with the gopis.

Vasant Ragini, Page from a Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes), Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, India (Rajasthan, Amber)

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.