Ramkali Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes)
The texts related to this ragini tell of a vivacious woman anxiously waiting for her lover, who arrives far too late. The written sources build tension by describing her high spirits and excitement at being near her hero as well as her wish to enchant him through her actions and sentiment. Still, she suspects he has been with another woman, which is dramatized by her gesture of rejection and his posture of apology. As is typical in Rajput painting, emotion is not indicated by facial expressions but rather by gesture and allusion.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ramkali Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes)
- Date: ca. 1605–06
- Culture: India (Rajasthan, Bikaner)
- Medium: Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
- Dimensions: 6 1/2 × 4 3/4 in. (16.5 × 12.1 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 1981
- Object Number: 1981.460.3
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.