Who painted Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala?

Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala was painted by Unknown in 1610.

Where can I see Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala?

Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala?

Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala

Unknown , 1610

Woman Feeding Deer: Todi Ragini, from a Ragamala is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Unknown. It dates from 1610 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The painting depicts a kneeling woman dressed in an orange skirt beneath a translucent brown sari embroidered with gold motifs.

About this work

Overview

The painting depicts a kneeling woman dressed in an orange skirt beneath a translucent brown sari embroidered with gold motifs. She cradles a blue‑golden vina and offers grass to four approaching deer, while a yellow border above bears a Sanskrit verse naming the ragini Todi.

Subject & Meaning

The scene combines a serene figure with attentive animals, embodying the tranquil character associated with the Todi ragini. The woman's gentle feeding gesture and the deer's eager response visually translate the melodic mood of the music into a pictorial narrative.

Technique & Style

Executed in a delicate palette of orange, brown, gold, and blue, the work employs fine line work for the sari’s patterning and a flat, decorative border typical of ragamala illustrations. The composition balances figure and fauna within a compact, frontal arrangement, emphasizing harmony between human and nature.

History & Provenance

This piece belongs to a ragamala series, a tradition of Indian miniature paintings that pair specific ragas or raginis with visual motifs. Such series were produced in the courts of north‑western India, particularly within the Rajput kingdom of Amber, during the period when musical iconography flourished.

Context

Ragamala paintings served as visual guides to the emotional essence of Indian classical music, each panel representing a distinct melodic mode. The Todi ragini, associated with a contemplative and slightly plaintive tone, is here rendered through the calm demeanor of the woman and the attentive deer.