Artwork
Lalita Ragini
Lalita Ragini is a paint painting by the Mughal Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Lalita Ragini is an opaque watercolor on paper, dated to the mid‑18th century. The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and portrays a domestic interior in which a woman lies reclined on a bed while two attendants stand nearby.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, identified as Lalita Ragini, is a reference to a character from Indian classical music traditions. Her tranquil, sleeping pose and the melancholy expression of the standing male figure evoke the emotional themes of longing and separation that are characteristic of ragas, the expressive musical forms of the period.
Technique & Style
Executed in opaque watercolor, the painting demonstrates meticulous attention to surface detail. The artist renders the rich red‑gold costume, the texture of the fabrics, and the intricate patterns of the surrounding décor with fine brushwork, creating a vivid sense of materiality and depth on paper.
History & Provenance
The work entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display as an example of 18th‑century Indian watercolor painting.
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
