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Lot Essay
Krishna, dressed in a yellow dhoti, reaches for the water vessel balanced on Radha’s head with his right hand, while he gently holds her arm with his left hand. Two cowherd boys in striped shorts and turbans stand behind him. Three of the four gopis, on Radha's left, carrying lotas (water pots) turn to look at the antics of Krishna. Radha and the gopis are all similarly dressed, with tight bodices, striped or patterned skirts, and transparent veils. Set in a landscape, a large tree dominates the centre of the composition, with figures of cows tended to by cowherds, a river and rolling hills depicted in the receding background.
This splendid painting has been attributed to an artist from the family of Manaku and Nainsukh, a master from the first generation. Although it is difficult to attribute the painting to a specific individual from the family, the delicacy of workmanship and the style are clearly influenced by earlier works painted by the previous generation and are also comparable with other contemporaneous works attributed to the family workshop. There are many indications that brothers and cousins worked together on projects and Manaku's son, Fattu, is known to have assisted his uncle Nainsukh. Some of the most well-known series of paintings from the Pahari region were produced between approximately 1770 and 1810 and have been attributed to the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh. For a list of known series and individual works attributed to this remarkable group of painters, see Beach, Fischer, Goswamy, 2011, pp. 689-694.
The blue complexioned figure of Krishna in a yellow dhoti, the rendering of his facial features, the golden crown set with an elaborate peacock-feather spread, his other jewels painted with impasto pearls, appear to be closely modelled on an earlier work ascribed to Nainsukh, 'The poet Bihari pays homage to Radha and Krishna', c.1760-65 (Goswamy and Fischer, 1992, no. 128, pp. 302 - 303). The faces and dresses of Radha and the gopis in our painting are also very similar to the figures of Radha and the female attendants in Nainsukh's work. There is another known painting from the same period, circa 1780-90, in a vertical format like ours, with comparable figures of gopis carrying small lotas, and Krishna and Radha taking shelter under a tree (ibid., no. 151, pg. 351.) The composition of our painting also finds close comparison with another late eighteenth century work from the family workshop, depicting Krishna on a swing surrounded by cows and cowherds. (Goswamy, 2010, no. 53, pp. 114-115). Krishna's swing is attached to the branch of an almost identical large tree with the its grey trunk and similarly painted branches and leaves. The figures of the cowherds on the right and the figure sitting in the tree are depicted in comparable postures, with bare torsos, dressed in striped shorts and similarly tied turbans. The tall figures of the gopis in the background in striped skirts and veils are carrying almost identical water pots.
For paintings attributed to the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh which have sold at auction recently, see Christie's King Street, 10 June 2015, lots 52-56; Christie's, South Kensington, 12 June 2014, lot 126; Christie's, New York, 18 September 2013, lot 366.
This splendid painting has been attributed to an artist from the family of Manaku and Nainsukh, a master from the first generation. Although it is difficult to attribute the painting to a specific individual from the family, the delicacy of workmanship and the style are clearly influenced by earlier works painted by the previous generation and are also comparable with other contemporaneous works attributed to the family workshop. There are many indications that brothers and cousins worked together on projects and Manaku's son, Fattu, is known to have assisted his uncle Nainsukh. Some of the most well-known series of paintings from the Pahari region were produced between approximately 1770 and 1810 and have been attributed to the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh. For a list of known series and individual works attributed to this remarkable group of painters, see Beach, Fischer, Goswamy, 2011, pp. 689-694.
The blue complexioned figure of Krishna in a yellow dhoti, the rendering of his facial features, the golden crown set with an elaborate peacock-feather spread, his other jewels painted with impasto pearls, appear to be closely modelled on an earlier work ascribed to Nainsukh, 'The poet Bihari pays homage to Radha and Krishna', c.1760-65 (Goswamy and Fischer, 1992, no. 128, pp. 302 - 303). The faces and dresses of Radha and the gopis in our painting are also very similar to the figures of Radha and the female attendants in Nainsukh's work. There is another known painting from the same period, circa 1780-90, in a vertical format like ours, with comparable figures of gopis carrying small lotas, and Krishna and Radha taking shelter under a tree (ibid., no. 151, pg. 351.) The composition of our painting also finds close comparison with another late eighteenth century work from the family workshop, depicting Krishna on a swing surrounded by cows and cowherds. (Goswamy, 2010, no. 53, pp. 114-115). Krishna's swing is attached to the branch of an almost identical large tree with the its grey trunk and similarly painted branches and leaves. The figures of the cowherds on the right and the figure sitting in the tree are depicted in comparable postures, with bare torsos, dressed in striped shorts and similarly tied turbans. The tall figures of the gopis in the background in striped skirts and veils are carrying almost identical water pots.
For paintings attributed to the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh which have sold at auction recently, see Christie's King Street, 10 June 2015, lots 52-56; Christie's, South Kensington, 12 June 2014, lot 126; Christie's, New York, 18 September 2013, lot 366.