Shri Raga, from a Ragamalac. 1695 · Study 1931.451

Context from the museum

This painting is from an important series made at a turning point in the history of court painting at the Rajput kingdom of Mewar. For the first time, a royal patron, Amar Singh II (r. 1698–1710), even before his accession to the throne, decided to incorporate Mughal elements into secular art, as seen in the white domed architecture and interest in conveying some sense of spatial depth. Nevertheless, the artist still adheres to the use of horizontal registers and bold planes of color. The codified iconography of Shri Raga involves a royal couple listening to recitations. Shri Raga is described as: "Splendidly enthroned of peerless beauty and lovely as the autumn moon, he sits hearing stories from Narada and Tumburu. By the great sages he is called Shri Raga King." Amar Singh has playfully substituted his own portrait for that of the generic king, and a woman for that of the sage. In music, Shri Raga is associated with the season of autumn and the harvest festivals, here evoked by the dancing female musicians in the lower register.

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

A detail to notice

The horse-headed musician playing the cymbals is a celestial being (gandharva) famed for his sweet voice.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Shri Raga, from a Ragamala is 22.5 cm wide and 34.4 cm high, equivalent to approximately 8.9 × 13.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.65:1. 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 7.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 138.8 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 Shri Raga, from a Ragamala 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 vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 22.5 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?