Cleveland Museum of Art

Raja with his beloved

Date

c. 1790–1800

Medium

Gum tempera and gold on paper

Culture

Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The viewer looks through a palace window onto an idyllic scene on an outdoor terrace. A team of attendants minister to a royal couple on a swing. At the upper left one woman keeps flies away with a long-tailed whisk. Next to her, a woman in orange keeps the swing in gentle motion. On the other side, at the lower right, a woman provides a foot massage. At the upper right, one woman holds out a dish of paan ; another has small bottles of wine, and another has a fan to provide extra breeze. Finally, a woman in a lavender sari gazes upon the beauty of the scene in admiration. The lovers are feeding betel leaf packets ( paan ), a mild stimulant and breath freshener, to each other.

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