Augury of the Crow (Vasakasajja Nayika)
Unknown Artist
c. 1800
Medium
Gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions
21.4 × 14.5 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin
Accession Number
1989.337
About this artwork
The heroine in the doorway is waiting for her husband to return, but he is delayed, and ominous monsoon clouds gather in the distance. The pomegranate tree in her garden has ripe fruits replete with seeds and bright red juices, suggestive of her fertility, but a crow is perched there. The sound of a crow’s voice is an unlucky omen, and this further compounds her anxiety. Depictions of tense, relatable situations were made to elicit empathy in the viewer and emotions that heightened the pleasure ...