Radha Pining for Krishna — Lalita Kapilavai — Traditional Artist
© Lalita Kapilavai — Traditional Artist. Digital Atelier & Cultural Archive. Digital reproduction, automated screen captures, and unauthorized printings are strictly prohibited.
Radha Pining for Krishna
Natural pigments, shell gold and shell silver on Wasli paper • L= 28.8cms; W= 21.5cms
Radha Pining for Krishna
Iconographic Commentary & Symbolism
Poet Jayadeva’s Gīta Govinda describes various romantic episodes between Krishna and Radha. This painting depicts Radha’s state of separation from Krishna and longing for a union with him.
To soothe the pangs of her heart, Radha, tormented by love, is shown seated in a vine-covered grove on the banks of a lake, holding a lotus leaf against her bosom. The serene surroundings, with their trees and vegetation, are rendered in the characteristic Guler idiom. Radha’s face poignantly conveys her deep longing and emotional anguish. The golden floral border rendered against an indigo background is a Mughal sensibility.
