Vibhasa Ragini, Fourth Wife of Megha Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies)

Enlarge My gallery Comment Tag Share Download Image*
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/collections.lacma.org-images/remote_images/ma-78818-O3.jpg?IyqVuNk_y7iVDLp8rAvA4rucqqcvjVCP
View comments
No comments have been posted yet.
Add a comment
Please log in to add comments.
Enter your LACMA Collections username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
New to our collections website? Sign up to create an account and start saving your favorites. Please note that this account is not the same as the MyLACMA account you may have for ticketing and membership transactions.
Download powerpoint quality jpeg Download publication quality tiff
Current tags
This item has not been tagged yet.
Please log in to add tags.
Enter your LACMA Collections username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
New to our collections website? Sign up to create an account and start saving your favorites. Please note that this account is not the same as the MyLACMA account you may have for ticketing and membership transactions.
* Nearly 20,000 images of artworks the museum believes to be in the public domain are available to download on this site. Other images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. By using any of these images you agree to LACMA's Terms of Use.

Vibhasa Ragini, Fourth Wife of Megha Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies)

India, Madhya Pradesh, Bundelkhand or Malwa, circa 1660-1675
Drawings; watercolors
Opaque watercolor, gold, and traces of ink on paper
Sheet: 8 x 5 7/8 in. (20.32 x 14.92 cm); Image: 7 x 5 3/8 in. (17.78 x 13.65 cm)
From the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Museum Associates Purchase (M.71.1.41)
South and Southeast Asian Art
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

Vibhasa Ragini is the fourth wife of Megha Raga in the predominant ragamala (garland of melodies) classification system generally known as the Rajasthani system....
Vibhasa Ragini is the fourth wife of Megha Raga in the predominant ragamala (garland of melodies) classification system generally known as the Rajasthani system. It is a sensual melody associated with the dawn. In this painting, the melody is envisioned as a pair of lovers embracing in a pavilion bedchamber who are disturbed at the crack of dawn by a crowing cock. The hero uses a flower-studded bow to aim a lotus arrow at the intruding rooster to try and prevent the coming of the dawn. Beside the bed are four golden vessels (left to right): betel box (pandan), wine or water flask (surahi), footed bowl, and spittoon (ugaldan). The effaced inscription in the header once described the couple’s amorous dalliance. See also M.79.252.6. A comparable Vibhasa Ragini, attributed to Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, circa 1640-1650, is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (17.2382).
More...

Bibliography

  • Rosenfield, John.  The Arts of India and Nepal: The Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection.  Boston:  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1966.