FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS TO FOUR RAGAMALA SERIES
Jaipur and Bundi, Rajasthan, North-Western India, first half 19th century

Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, comprising four vertical compositions, each of different size and illustrating various scenes from Ragamala series, including the easily-recognisable Asavari Ragini (The Snake Charmer), part of the Shri Raga, with the nayika half-naked and half-clad with leaves, seated in the middle of the forest surrounded by snakes, 20.2cm x 15cm; the Kakubha Ragini (The Heroine Deserted by Her Lover), part of the Megha Raga, left on her own, lonely wandering in the wilderness with a nostalgic look in her eyes, and gifting the lover's garland to a white-furred animal approaching her on the left, 20.3cm x 15cm; the Vilaval Ragini (The Heroine Getting Ready to Meet her Lover), part of the Hindola Raga, depicting the beauty ritual of the nayika preparing for her lover, looking in a mirror held by her attendant and fixing her earrings, 29.5cm x 23cm; and lastly, the Malavi Ragini (The Lovers in the Bedchamber), part of the Malkosh Raga, with the two lovers embracing in the pavilion above an arched porch, the loyal maiden excusing the couple from visitors depicted in the foreground, 27.7cm x 18.4cm; each illustration with a cartouche of black ink Devanagari inscriptions on ochre ground (4 to 7ll.) at the top, framed within white and yellow rules, and bright red borders, and three illustrations backed with wasli paper.