Who painted Salaga Raga?

Salaga Raga was painted by Unknown in 1700.

Where can I see Salaga Raga?

Salaga Raga is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Salaga Raga?

Salaga Raga is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Salaga Raga

Unknown , 1700

Salaga Raga is a paint painting by the Baroque artist Unknown. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Salaga Raga is an opaque water‑colour painting on paper dated to the early eighteenth century. The work illustrates a scene from the Ragamala tradition, visualising the musical mode of the same name. Set in a grassy landscape, a princely figure in a red robe stands beside a woman in a blue sari, both positioned around a large white butter‑churning pot.

Subject & Meaning

The composition portrays a prince and a female attendant engaged in the ritual of butter‑churning, an activity associated with courtly leisure and symbolic fertility in South Asian culture. By linking this domestic scene to the Salaga Raga, the image suggests a synesthetic connection between visual narrative and the emotional character of the musical mode.

Technique & Style

Executed in opaque water‑colour, the artist employs vivid pigments that contrast sharply with the green field background. The red and blue garments are rendered with fine brushwork, while the white pot and decorative turban provide highlights. The use of a South‑Asian script title at the top reinforces the work’s textual and musical references.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the modern market as part of the collection of Michael Rothenstein, a noted British artist and collector. It was subsequently purchased by the institution catalogued as IS.46 to 73‑1953 for a sum of £300, marking its transition into a public holding.

Context

Ragamala paintings traditionally visualise musical modes as allegorical scenes, a practice that flourished in the Mughal and Rajput courts. Salaga Raga fits within this genre, reflecting the period’s interest in integrating music, poetry, and visual art to convey nuanced emotional states.