Krishna's Longing for Radha, from the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva
Unknown Artist
c. 1820–25
Medium
Gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions
image: 24.1 × 32.4 cm · with mat: 40.6 × 53.2 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin
Accession Number
1989.333
About this artwork
In the lush forests on the banks of India’s Yamuna River, the youthful god Krishna waits to rendezvous with his beloved Radha. The artist has rendered his impatience by showing seven Krishnas, in various attitudes of anxious waiting, as though seeing him over a period of time. Meanwhile Radha, dressed in yellow at top right, confers seemingly endlessly with her confidante, as she tries to decide whether she should meet Krishna for the illicit tryst—she is already married and Krishna is prone to ...