Page 74 - Indian and Himalayan Art, March 15, 2017 Sotheby's NYC

264

264

PROPERTY FROM THE LANIER COLLECTION An ardent blue-skinned lord (nayaka) listens to Her gait has become steady
the message of a sakhi (con dante) from his O! Krishna you need to be patient for a little while
MUGDHA NAYIKA: A MESSENGER beloved Radha. He presents a mudra (hand longer as youth has driven out innocence from
SPEAKS TO KRISHNA gesture) as he intently listens - he grasps a her ripening breasts.”
A FOLIO FROM THE RASIKAPRIYA slender column to steady himself. They formally (translation by Harsha Dehejia)
OF KESHAV DAS sit within a chamber of a turreted pavilion. His
India, Mewar, Udaipur, nayika (beloved) sits holding her veil on a couch Other folios from this important dispersed series
circa 1670-80 in another pavilion, hesitatingly looking away, but are in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum -
thinking of him. A cat walks below. see A. Poster et al., Realms of Heroism: Indian
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper Paintings in the Brooklyn Museum, New York,
image: 7¼ by 6¼ in. (18.4 by 15.8 cm) The inscription at the top reads: 1994, p. 209–11, cat. 162–4, the Government
folio: 9¼ by 6¾ in. (23.5 by 17.2 cm) Museum, Udaipur; the National Museum, New
“The nayika’s eye brows have grown and have Delhi; Bharat Kala Bhavan, Benares and other
PROVENANCE become arched and seem to dance public and private collections worldwide.
Her waist is still slim but her buttocks have
Acquired early 1990’s become larger $ 8,000-12,000
She is more thoughtful in her speech and there is
hesitation in her eyes

72 SOTHEBY’S