Shiva and Parvati Playing Chaupar: Folio from a Rasamanjari Series
dated 1694–95
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Image: 6 1/2 x 10 7/8 in. (16.5 x 27.6 cm) Sheet: 8 x 12 1/4 in. (20.3 x 31.1 cm) Framed: 15 5/8 x 20 1/2 in. (39.7 x 52.1 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India (Basohli, Jammu)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dr. J. C. Burnett, 1957
Accession Number
57.185.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio, painted by Devidasa of Nurpur in1694–95, captures the divine couple Shiva and Parvati absorbed in a game of chaupar, an ancient Indian board game. Created in theohli region of Jammu the Pahari hills the work belongs to theamanjari series a celebrated cycle of paintings illustrating the emotional nuances of love drawn from a 15th-century Sanskrit text. Here, the gods appear in a tender, almost human moment, their playful interaction symbolizing harmony and devotion within Hindu mythology. Devidasa worked in the distinctive Basohli style, known for its vibrant palette, bol...