On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
A Wife Seeks Justice or Mercy
India, Himachal Pradesh, Guler style
Not on view
The precise subject of this painting has defied identification, but the theme likely relates to a scandalous event, perhaps a sexual transgression on the part of the woman depicted. The events unfold in two dramatic scenes set in an urban panorama, with the main protagonists being the wife, her husband, and her mother-in-law, along with witnesses and the local ruler sitting in judgment. The town is identified by inscription in the upper right area of sky in local Takri script as dadhwal, probably referring to the small Punjab Hill state of Dada-Siba.
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