Radha’s Confidante Brings Her to Krishna, based on poetry of Bihari (Indian, 1595–1663) (c. 1790–1800): Art, History and Details

Radha’s Confidante Brings Her to Krishna, based on poetry of Bihari (Indian, 1595–1663) (c. 1790–1800) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

The blue god Krishna has spread a carpet and set up a canopy in a secret grove to create the space for a romantic tryst with his lover Radha. The wine-colored carpet with allover floral patterns match the canopy, and they are Persian in design. The ruler of the Hindu kingdom of Jaipur, who may have commissioned this painting, had an important collection of Persian carpets and textiles. Wine-and-gold curtains have been unrolled to cover the windows of the house behind Radha and her companion, indicating that she has left the house in secret after it has been closed up for the night.

Object facts

• Title: Radha’s Confidante Brings Her to Krishna, based on poetry of Bihari (Indian, 1595–1663)
• Date: c. 1790–1800
• Culture: Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Jaipur
• Type: Painting
• Technique: Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
• Dimensions: Page: 28.3 x 39.4 cm (11 1/8 x 15 1/2 in.); Miniature: 21.6 x 31.4 cm (8 1/2 x 12 3/8 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 2018.172

A detail from the museum

Halos behind the heads of Radha and Krishna suggest their eminence as divine lovers.

Collection credit

Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.