Northern India, Pahari kingdoms / c. 1790–1800
Radha's hair being dressed
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Radha's hair being dressed as painting (Northern India, Pahari kingdoms · c. 1790–1800).
Radha’s mirror, as well as the curving bodies of the women and their fans, mimic the ovular frame of the drawing.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as Gum tempera with touches of color on paper.
The museum's collection notes: Radha appears in the center, applying an ornament in the mirror. She and her friends do not realize that Krishna is watching from a second-story window. Her attendants hold up a curtain to give her privacy, while others fix her hair, hold the mirror, whisk away the flies, and bring her drinks. In the background, musicians carry instruments for a performance. This drawing is probably a study for a finished painting rather than an underdrawing that was meant to be painted over, due to the care and attention given to the fine details and expressions.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtRadha's hair being dressedOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.