A woman drawing the portrait of her absent lover (Dhanashri ragini)

From the Rijksmuseum record

A ragini is a musical mode intended to evoke a certain emotional mood. This painting depicts such a melodic structure, Dhanashri ragini, or the yearning of a lonely woman for her absent lover. Yet this scene does not solely convey an artistic tradition. Many women – queens, princesses, courtesans – enjoyed an extensive education. According to tradition, there were women who wrote poetry in Sanskrit and Persian, painted and played music.