Ragini, possibly Asavari: Folio from a Ragamala Series
Unknown Artist
ca. 1700–1710
Medium
Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
Image: 7 in. × 6 5/8 in. (17.8 × 16.8 cm) Sheet: 8 3/8 × 8 1/8 in. (21.3 × 20.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India (Himachal Pradesh, Mankot)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1918
Accession Number
18.85.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate folio, *Ragini, possibly Asavari: from a Ragamala*, originates from Mankot in Himachal Pradesh, India, around 1700–1710. It belongs to the rich tradition of Pahari miniature, where folios from Ragamala series illustrate ragas—melodic frameworks of Indian classical music—and their feminine counterparts, raginis. Each depiction evokes a specific mood, time, or season through poetic imagery, blending art, music, and devotion in 18th-century courtly culture. Rendered in ink and opaque watercolor on paper, the work showcases the precision of Indian miniature techniques: fine ink outl...