The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 6, 2026

A vertically oriented tempera and ink painting depicts a palace night scene. On our left, a figure reclines on a patterned bed inside a white building featuring red-capped domes. At center right, a woman in a red dress reaches toward a blue peacock soaring through a dark sky punctuated by white rain and golden lightning. A red and white geometric border lines the base.

Madhu Madhavi Ragini

c. 1630–40

Central India, Malwa

Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Overall: 19.1 x 14.6 cm (7 1/2 x 5 3/4 in.)
Gift of J. H. Wade 1925.1336
Location: Not on view

Description

One of the first paintings to be published and exhibited as an example of native Indian court painting without foreign stylistic influence, this work emphasizes the expression of mood and emotion rather than pictorial narrative. Through bold contrasting color, suggestive gaze, and poetic trope, the viewer accesses the charged excitement of lovers about to be united with the coming of the monsoon at night.

The reclining hero admires the alluring form of his beloved who, startled by the lightning and the cry of the peacock, stops and twists around in a dramatic pause that sets off her figure to especially good effect. She raises one hand to feel the first drops of monsoon rain that signal the beginning of the season of lovemaking, when her lover remains at home.
  • ?-1925
    Ananda K. Coomaraswamy [1877-1947] sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1925-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • "A Rajput Painting." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 20, no. 4 (April 1933): 56–59 Reproduced: p. 50; Mentioned: pp. 56–59. www.jstor.org
    Lee, Sherman. "The Decorative and the Super-Real: Two Rajasthani Miniatures." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 44, no. 8 (October 1957): 180-183. Mentioned: p. 181 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 767 archive.org
    Sickman, L. C. S. Masterpieces of Asian Art in American Collections. New York: Asia Society, 1960. Mentioned: cat. no. 31d, pp. 58, 64; Reproduced: p. 58
    Lee, Sherman E. and George Montgomery. Rajput Painting; with an introductory essay and catalogue notes. New York: Asia House, 1960. Reproduced: p. 16; plate 4(a)
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 238 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 238 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 306 archive.org
    Leach, Linda York. Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1986. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 82
  • Indian Gallery 242 Rotation – April-November 2017. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (April 10-November 6, 2017).
    Indian Miniature Rotation (Gallery 115). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (August 18, 2004-May 23, 2005).
    Indian Miniature Rotation (Gallery 115). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (August 13, 2003-February 18, 2004).
    Dance of the Gods: Indian Art Inspired by Music. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 24-December 8, 1996).
    Rajput Painting. Asia House, New York, NY (December 3, 1960-January 22, 1961).
    Rajput Painting. The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 30, 1960-January 22, 1961).
    Masterpieces of Asian Art in American Collections. The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (January 5-February 14, 1960).
    Islamic and Indian Miniature Paintings and Manuscripts. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY (organizer) (December 19, 1955-February 19, 1956).
    The Seasons as Represented in Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 4-September 9, 1954).
    India's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 2, 1949-January 22, 1950).
    East Indian Art. The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI (organizer) (February 10-March 29, 1942).
    The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).
  • {{cite web|title=Madhu Madhavi Ragini|url=false|author=|year=c. 1630–40|access-date=06 June 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1925.1336