The lovelorn heroine, from a Sat Sai of Bihari1780–90 · Study 1971.86

Context from the museum

The Sat Sai is a poetry collection describing the beauty of women in a range of emotional states. The heroine of this poem sits against a tree that is in full flower. Not coincidentally, her dress matches the color of the blossoms, but no bees come to pollinate. Her lover is absent, and other girls walk by, gossiping. The oval format was inspired by British art. The scene is from a poem written for a king in northwestern India by an author from eastern India, who was raised in a north Indian city. This painting reveals the movement of art and poets across multiple regions.

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

A detail to notice

The Sat Sai was written for Raja Jai Singh I of Amber (r. 1625–67).

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for The lovelorn heroine, from a Sat Sai of Bihari is 14.2 cm wide and 19.3 cm high, equivalent to approximately 5.6 × 7.6 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.74:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.03 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 4.7% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 142.9 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 The lovelorn heroine, from a Sat Sai of Bihari 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 14.2 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?