Krishna and Radha in a Bower - Sahibdin

A 17th-century Mewar miniature painting depicting Krishna and Radha in a bower, attributed to the court artist Sahibdin.

This miniature painting originates from a dispersed manuscript of the Gita Govinda, a 12th-century poem by Jayadeva detailing the relationship between Krishna and Radha. Attributed to the Mewar court artist Sahibdin, the work displays the characteristic stylistic traits of 17th-century Rajasthani painting. The composition is divided into distinct zones, separating the intimate bower where the divine couple sits from the surrounding forest setting.

Krishna, depicted with his traditional blue skin, sits with Radha on a raised platform draped in textiles. Garlands hang above them, suggesting a festive or devotional atmosphere. To the right, a female attendant stands amidst a stylised grove of trees. The flora is rendered with a high degree of decorative precision, featuring individualised leaves and blossoms that create a rhythmic, patterned effect across the surface. The colour palette is dominated by earthy tones, punctuated by the bright yellow of garments and the deep blue of the night sky, which is marked by a crescent moon.

Sahibdin is known for his clear, narrative approach to complex literary themes. His work often employs a flattened perspective, allowing for the simultaneous display of interior and exterior spaces. The figures are rendered in profile, a convention that emphasises the clarity of gesture and expression. The border, painted in a flat red, frames the scene, reinforcing the sense of the work as a page from a larger, bound volume. This print captures the technical precision of the original, from the fine lines of the foliage to the application of gold leaf on the jewellery and architectural details. It provides a window into the courtly aesthetic of the Mewar region, where religious devotion and artistic refinement were closely linked.