LACMA

South and Southeast Asian Art
Attributed to Jai Ram (India, active c. 1720–1751) and/or Jiva (India, active c. 1735–1767) 
Maharana Jagat Singh II (reigned 1734-1751) Watching Krishna's Dance of Delight (Rasa Lila) Performed in the Courtyard of the Udaipur City Palace, 1736–c. 1740
Opaque watercolor, gold leaf, and silver on paper
Image: 23 7/8 x 17 1/2 in. (60.64 x 44.45 cm);
Sheet: 26 3/8 x 20 1/8 in. (67 x 51.12 cm)
M.2006.78

Brilliantly epitomizing all three of the art forms that reached such extraordinary heights under Jagat Singh II, this remarkable painting depicts the Maharana (Great King) seated in the Peacock Courtyard of the royal palace in the capital city of Udaipur, watching a performance of the Rasa Lila (Krishna's Dance of Delight) under the light of a full moon on November 17, 1736.

The opulent kingdom of Mewar in western India was the most prominent Hindu court during the 18th century. It had a rich history of painting and the arts, but under the inspired patronage of Maharana Jagat Singh II (reigned 1734–1751), an efflorescence of painting, architecture, and drama was achieved, with numerous artistic masterpieces created and performed in what was truly a Golden Age.

The painting was made by the two leading artists of the Mewar court, Jai Ram and/or Jiva (the artists typically worked in collaboration). It features highly refined draftsmanship and a lavish use of gold pigment, all indicative of its superb quality. The painting is also an important historical document, as it is one of a series of only ten paintings portraying this extravagant dance performance. Each painting depicts a different episode of the dance drama but all are unified through a uniform composition for the settings. This serial multiplicity was a unique experiment in Mewar painting, as it is the only known group of paintings devoted to a single event.

LACMA has a number of Mewar paintings, but this is the first work to be acquired from the reign of Maharana Jagat Singh II. The closest comparable painting in the collection is from the reign of his father:  Maharana Sangram Singh II (reigned 1710-34) Hunting Tigers, which dates from c. 1725.

Maharana Jagat Singh II Watching Krishna's Dance of Delight is on view in the museum's South Asian Painting and Decorative Art Gallery, located on the third floor of the Ahmanson Building. It is the centerpiece of the exhibition Tales of Krishna, which runs through July 2007. The exhibition focuses on the representation of Krishna and his legendary deeds in the visual arts throughout India. Drawn primarily from LACMA's renowned collection of South Asian art, the exhibition consists principally of opaque watercolor paintings and drawings, but also includes sculptures in a variety of media, decorative artworks, and ritual objects associated with annual festivals devoted to Krishna. The thematically organized exhibition explores various aspects of Krishna's life, including his miraculous birth, childhood pranks, heroic exploits, and romantic dalliances. For images and further information on the exhibition, see Tales of Krishna.

View the complete record and details of this work in Collections Online.