Artwork

Kakubha Ragini

Kakubha Ragini, by Unknown, paint, 1750
Kakubha Ragini, by Unknown, paint, 1750

Kakubha Ragini is a paint painting by the Rococo painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

A woman stands in a lush garden. Her green dress blends with the leaves.
She holds a sprig of flowers near her face. The colors are soft and bright.

This painting comes from India around 1750. It shows a style called *Ragini* from Indian music traditions. The artist isn’t known, but the work feels alive with detail.

Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more Indian paintings like this.

Overview

The work, titled Kakubha Ragini, is a mid‑18th‑century Indian painting executed in opaque watercolour on paper. Dated to around 1750, it measures a modest size typical of domestic devotional or decorative pieces and portrays a solitary female figure within a stylised garden setting.

Subject & Meaning

A woman dressed in an ochre sari with floral motifs and a contrasting yellow‑green striped choli holds a sprig of blossoms near her face. Peacocks approach her from the surrounding foliage, suggesting a scene of courtly leisure or a symbolic association with beauty and fertility common in Indian visual narratives.

Technique & Style

The artist employed opaque watercolours, allowing for vivid yet softened hues that blend the figure with the verdant background. The composition follows the Ragini tradition, a visual analogue to Indian musical modes, characterized by rhythmic patterns, decorative detail, and a lyrical arrangement of flora and fauna.

History & Provenance

The painting originates from India and remains unsigned, a frequent circumstance for works of this period. It entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is displayed among other examples of 18th‑century Indian court painting, providing insight into the aesthetic preferences of the era.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known