A Female Musician Charms an Antelope
Western India, Rajasthan, Kota
Not on view
The rugged, inhospitable terrain of Rajasthan, a favorite setting for Kota court artists, provides an unlikely context for a dalliance with the god Krishna. A prominent hunting tower—built to facilitate the shooting of animals driven into range by beaters—overlooks the sparsely wooded landscape. In the foreground, a female musician sits before the tower playing a sitar, while a mrig (a type of musk deer) stands before her, transfixed by the music. From the turret of the tower, Krishna gestures toward a leopard retreating over the horizon; another big cat climbs the hill.
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