Krishna’s longing for Radha, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadevac. 1820–25 · Study 1989.333

Context from the museum

In the lush forests on the banks of India’s Yamuna River, the youthful god Krishna waits to rendezvous with his beloved Radha. The artist has rendered his impatience by showing seven Krishnas, in various attitudes of anxious waiting, as though seeing him over a period of time. Meanwhile Radha, dressed in yellow at top right, confers seemingly endlessly with her confidante, as she tries to decide whether she should meet Krishna for the illicit tryst—she is already married and Krishna is prone to flirting with other girls. This scene is a metaphor for how god waits for us to come to him, while the human devotee frets about the bonds of social norms.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Krishna’s longing for Radha, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva is 32.4 cm wide and 24.1 cm high, equivalent to approximately 12.8 × 9.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.34:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.08 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 10.8% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 133.8 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Krishna’s longing for Radha, from a Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd) of Jayadeva in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 32.4 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?