AN ILLUSTRATION TO A RAGAMALA SERIES: MADHUMADHAVI RAGINI OF HINDOLA RAGA

Here the artist wrongly identifies his model on the reverse as Patamanjari. She is received here by an aged duenna as she rushes in from the monsoon storm. Texts describe her as a woman full of passion for her lover implying that she was about to go off as an Abhisarika, one who braves the terrors of a dark night in order to reach the trysting place (C. Glynn, R. Skelton, A. L. Dallapiccola, Ragamala, Paintings from India from the Claudio Moscatelli Collection, London, 2011,, p.78).

For related paintings see Klaus Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, Paris, 1973, pp.102, 251. Another folio from the series sold at Bonham’s, 8 October 2009, lot 259. For other folios from the same series, and further discussion, please see the preceding and following lots.