Artwork
Khambavati Ragini
Khambavati Ragini is a paint painting by the Rococo painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1760, *Khambavati Ragini* is an opaque water‑colour painting on paper, accented with gold. It functions as a visual accompaniment to the musical mode known as Khambavati Ragini, illustrating a ritual scene within a devotional context.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman in a red, gold‑patterned skirt kneeling before a seated male figure who bears a crown, necklace and yellow trousers. She appears to present an offering, while the man, serene and regal, holds a small fan‑like object, suggesting a ceremonial act of worship toward the deity Brahma.
Technique & Style
The work employs opaque water‑colour pigments combined with gold leaf, creating a luminous surface that highlights the figures’ attire and the surrounding interior. Delicate brushwork defines the textiles and the modest domestic items, while the gold accents emphasize the ritual significance.
History & Provenance
Originally catalogued under reference RP 51/2237, the painting was transferred from the Department of Engraving, Illustration & Design. Its documentation places it within a collection of 18th‑century Indian visual materials linked to musical and religious themes.
Context
Set against a balcony that opens onto a flat landscape under a clear blue sky, the scene integrates interior ritual with an external view, reflecting a synthesis of sacred practice and everyday environment typical of mid‑18th‑century Indian art.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
