Ascetic Princess with Snakes in a Wilderness: Asavari Ragini, from a Ragamala
Unknown Artist
c. 1650
Medium
gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions
page: 25.8 × 18.2 cm · miniature: 19.7 × 12.7 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Accession Number
2018.190
About this artwork
According to a theme explored in various examples of Indian poetry and literature, a princess has fled her royal life to live alone on an island in the forest. She has skillfully made a skirt and hut of leaves and vines. Suffering deprivation and practicing yogic disciplines, she has achieved the power to peacefully commune with the water snakes, who are mystically drawn to her.