c. 1680-1690

The Lonely Heroine with her Friend

Artist/maker unknown

In this painting, the heroine, isolated in a red square, communes sorrowfully with her companion. The hero is absent, his place taken by a buck and doe whose gentle interaction contrasts with the heroine's loneliness. 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.

This illustration comes from a dispersed series of the Rasikapriya. The exact verse illustrated is unknown because the writing is obscured by a later paper backing.