Artwork
Saindhavi Ragini of the "Sri Raga" Family, page from a Ragamala Series
Saindhavi Ragini of the "Sri Raga" Family, page from a Ragamala Series is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1605 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work, titled *Saindhavi Ragini of the “Sri Raga” Family*, is a painted page from a Ragamala series.
About this work
Overview
The work, titled *Saindhavi Ragini of the “Sri Raga” Family*, is a painted page from a Ragamala series. It depicts three elegantly attired women against a bright yellow wall adorned with floral motifs. The scene is set beneath a blue sky populated by birds, with a domed building and balcony visible in the distance.
Subject & Meaning
The three figures represent the Saindhavi ragini, a melodic mode within the Sri Raga family, each rendered in distinct hairstyles and elaborate jewelry. Their poised stance and the inclusion of a deer with prominent antlers on the left suggest a harmonious link between music, nature, and courtly refinement.
Technique & Style
Executed in vivid pigments, the painting combines intricate line work for the garments and ornaments with broader washes for the background architecture and sky. The use of a bright yellow wall as a compositional plane creates a luminous backdrop that heightens the chromatic richness of the figures.
Context
Ragamala paintings traditionally visualise Indian musical modes as personified figures, linking auditory and visual arts. This page belongs to a series that maps the Sri Raga family, a collection of related ragas, and reflects the 18th‑century courtly patronage of such interdisciplinary art forms.
Artist & collection
