Object Details
Court
Guler Court
School/Tradition
Pahari school
Label
This drawing is one of a series that illustrates the love story of the heroic Nala and the beautiful Damayanti, a tale that forms part of the renowned Hindu epic, the Mahabharata (Great story of the Bharatas). Using the convention of continuous narrative that was popular at many Rajput courts, the artist has portrayed Damayanti three times as she prepares for her wedding. At the very center a group of attendants bathe Damayanti; at the upper left she is being dressed and adorned by her companions; at the lower right she is led out to the marriage ceremonies.
Provenance
To 1930
Ajit Ghose, Calcutta to 1930 [1]
From 1930
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Ajit Ghose, Calcutta in 1930 [2]
Notes:
[1] Object file, undated folder sheet note. See also Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.
[2] See note 1.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)
Masterworks of Indian Painting (December 13, 1997 to June 13, 1998)
South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)
The Arts of South Asia (May 13, 1985 to December 2, 1985)
Hindu and Buddhist Art (April 1, 1982 to July 18, 1983)
The Brush of the Masters: Drawings from India (October 14, 1978 to May 15, 1979)
Centennial Exhibition, West Corridor (February 25, 1956 to July 11, 1958)
Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Painting, 1955 (October 24, 1955 to November 28, 1955)
Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Paintings and Sculpture (October 2, 1947 to February 25, 1956)
Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Paintings, Gallery 7 (January 10, 1945 to October 2, 1947)
Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Paintings, Gallery 4 (May 5, 1933 to January 9, 1945)
Previous custodian or owner
Ajit Ghose (born 1886)
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Date
1775-1800
Accession Number
F1930.85
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Painting
Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
H x W (drawing): 22.4 × 33.6 cm (8 13/16 × 13 1/4 in)
Origin
Guler, Himachal Pradesh state, Punjab Hills, India
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
bathing
drum
marriage
lute
cooking
Nala Damayanti
India
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_F1930.85