An illustration to a Ragamala series: Ramkali Ragini, Sirohi, circa 1680

gouache on paper, red ruled border with Devanagari inscription

Sirohi is a small state in southern Rajasthan between Mewar and Gujarat. During the seventeenth century a flourishing school of painting was established under the patronage of Akheyraj II (1620-73) and his grandson, Bairisal (1676-97). Ragamalas were a popular subject at Sirohi and appeared not only in manuscripts but also decorated the palace walls from the middle of the seventeenth century. The Sirohi Ragamalas are characterised by an individual iconography and a vibrant palette. See K. Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, Basel, Paris, New Delhi, 1973, pp.92-94 for a discussion of this group.