The lovelorn heroine, from a Sat Sai of Bihari

1780–90

Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

Medium

Gum tempera and gold on paper

Measurements

Image: 19.3 x 14.2 cm (7 5/8 x 5 9/16 in.); Overall: 26.5 x 21.1 cm (10 7/16 x 8 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1971.86

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Location

242B Indian Painting

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Did You Know?

The Sat Sai was written for Raja Jai Singh I of Amber (r. 1625–67).

Description

The Sat Sai is a poetry collection describing the beauty of women in a range of emotional states. The heroine of this poem sits against a tree that is in full flower. Not coincidentally, her dress matches the color of the blossoms, but no bees come to pollinate. Her lover is absent, and other girls walk by, gossiping.

The oval format was inspired by British art. The scene is from a poem written for a king in northwestern India by an author from eastern India, who was raised in a north Indian city. This painting reveals the movement of art and poets across multiple regions.