Artwork Page for Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva

Details / Information for Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva

Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva

c. 1820–25

attributed to Purkhu

(Indian, 1750–1860)
Culture
Northern India, Pahari kingdoms
Medium
gum tempera and gold on paper
Measurements
Overall: 24.1 x 32.1 cm (9 1/2 x 12 5/8 in.); with borders: 25.4 x 30.3 cm (10 x 11 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin 1989.334
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

According to the text, Krishna softly plays his flute and weaves his beloved Radha's name into the melody.

Description

While all the cowherd girls were in love with Krishna, he had a favorite according to texts of the 1200s and later. Her name was Radha, and she and Krishna would meet for secret trysts in the forest, facilitated by her sakhi, or confidante.

Krishna is shown twice in this painting. At the right he is in the process of making a bed of leaves for their upcoming encounter, and in the middle, he spies on Radha, wearing orange and gold. The sakhi is encouraging Radha to go and meet Krishna, since he is pining for her.
A horizontally oriented tempera painting depicts figures seated in grassy clearings surrounded by two circles of various tree types, some sprouting red or pink flowers. In the left clearing, Radha and her confidante, both women with light skin tones, sit facing each other, the confidante pointing toward the trees in the center out of which Krishna, a god with gray-blue skin and a gold crown peers. Krishna repeats in the clearing on the right, holding leaves.

Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva

c. 1820–25

Purkhu

(Indian, 1750–1860)
Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

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