Augury of the crow (Vasakasajja Nayika)

c. 1800

Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

Medium

Gum tempera and gold on paper

Measurements

Overall: 21.4 x 14.5 cm (8 7/16 x 5 11/16 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin 1989.337

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

Nayika is the term for a heroine figure in Indian art, literature, and drama.

Description

The heroine in the doorway is waiting for her husband to return, but he is delayed, and ominous monsoon clouds gather in the distance. The pomegranate tree in her garden has ripe fruits replete with seeds and bright red juices, suggestive of her fertility, but a crow is perched there. The sound of a crow’s voice is an unlucky omen, and this further compounds her anxiety.

Depictions of tense, relatable situations were made to elicit empathy in the viewer and emotions that heightened the pleasure of viewing and savoring paintings.