Northern India, Pahari kingdoms / c. 1790–1800
Raja with his beloved
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Raja with his beloved as painting (Northern India, Pahari kingdoms · c. 1790–1800).
The lovers are feeding betel leaf packets ( paan ), a mild stimulant and breath freshener, to each other.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as Gum tempera and gold on paper.
The museum's collection notes: The viewer looks through a palace window onto an idyllic scene on an outdoor terrace. A team of attendants minister to a royal couple on a swing. At the upper left one woman keeps flies away with a long-tailed whisk. Next to her, a woman in orange keeps the swing in gentle motion. On the other side, at the lower right, a woman provides a foot massage. At the upper right, one woman holds out a dish of paan ; another has small bottles of wine, and another has a fan to provide extra breeze. Finally, a woman in a lavender sari gazes upon the beauty of the scene in admiration.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtRaja with his belovedOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.