The Poet and Author of the Gita Govinda, Jayadeva, Visualizes Radha and Krishna, folio from the Tehri Garhwal series of the Gita Govinda
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Jayadeva, the author of the Gita Govinda, stands to the left in this work, singing his long poem. Dressed in the pure white dress of a Pahari singer, he holds a double-gourd stringed instrument called a vina. The verses on the back of the painting tell us:
His musical skill, his meditation on Vishnu,
His vision of reality in the erotic mood,
His graceful play in these poems,
All show that the master-poet Jayadeva’s soul is in perfect
tune with Krishna
Using his gifts, the poet evokes the divine and looks into Krishna’s eyes, a key act of devotion in the Hindu tradition. With one arm around Radha, Krishna holds a flute and stands in an open landscape, accessible to his devotee.
His musical skill, his meditation on Vishnu,
His vision of reality in the erotic mood,
His graceful play in these poems,
All show that the master-poet Jayadeva’s soul is in perfect
tune with Krishna
Using his gifts, the poet evokes the divine and looks into Krishna’s eyes, a key act of devotion in the Hindu tradition. With one arm around Radha, Krishna holds a flute and stands in an open landscape, accessible to his devotee.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Poet and Author of the Gita Govinda, Jayadeva, Visualizes Radha and Krishna, folio from the Tehri Garhwal series of the Gita Govinda
- Date: ca. 1775–80
- Culture: India, Punjab Hills, kingdom of Kangra or Guler
- Medium: Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
- Dimensions: Page: 6 7/8 × 10 5/8 in. (17.5 × 27 cm)
Image (painting): 5 3/4 × 9 3/4 in. (14.6 × 24.8 cm)
Mat: 14 1/4 in. × 18 in. (36.2 × 45.7 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Promised Gift of Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections
- Object Number: L.2018.44.18
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art