The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

Madhava plays his vina before five women drawing water from a well, from a Madhavanala Kamakandala

c. 1700

Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

gum tempera and gold on paper
Image: 19.1 x 28.6 cm (7 1/2 x 11 1/4 in.); Page: 21.7 x 30.9 cm (8 9/16 x 12 3/16 in.)
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2018.93
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

The vina is an Indian stringed instrument with gourd attached on each end as a resonator.

Description

One morning, Madhava sits beneath a tree to play his vina (stringed instrument). At this hour, women come to a well to draw water. Time unfolds across the figures of the five women. Two pull their full water pots from the well. One stops abruptly, hearing his musical strains. Two have become so entranced that they drop and break their pots in surprise and listen with delight.
  • 1973–2018
    Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim Collection
    2018–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Madhava plays his vina before five women drawing water from a well, from a Madhavanala Kamakandala|url=false|author=|year=c. 1700|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2018.93