c. 1680-1690

Khandita Nayika (?): The Distraught Heroine

This illustration comes from a dispersed series of the Rasikapriya. The exact verses illustrated are unknown because the writing is obscured by a later paper backing. A heroine sits in a palace talking with a female companion, while her lover--depicted as blue-skinned Krishna--stands unheeding in the courtyard. The borders with a vine motif, oversized flowers, floral textiles, and foliated arches, along with the muted colors and fine detailing, show the influence of decorative trends from the Mughal court. Yet the painting also has indigenous northern Indian characteristics, including flat, primary colored backgrounds; balloon-shaped trees; and figures that, while thinner and more graceful, retain their large eyes, pinched waists, and sharp profiles.