Agony of a Dejected Lover: a folio from the Gita Govinda, Attributable to a master of the first generation after Nainsukh, Kangra or Guler, circa 1780

The Tehri Garhwal Royal Collection.

Collection of Dr. William K. Ehrenfeld (1934-2005), San Francisco.

Acquired directly from the Ehrenfeld collection by the current owner, 8th December 1988.

M.S. Randhawa, Kangra Paintings of the Gita Govinda, New Delhi, 1963, fig. 26 (detail).

This lyrical illustration is from one of the best-known and most aesthetically harmonious series in Indian painting - the Gita Govinda, produced about 1780 by an artist of 'the first generation after Nainsukh'.

The Gita Govinda (Song of the Dark Lord) composed by the 12th century poet Jayadeva, is an evocative description of the courtship and love between Krishna and Radha. Composed as a homage to Krishna, the poem serves as an allegory for the soul's longing to unite with the Divine, yet the lyrical beauty and tactile eroticism of its verse also stimulates the senses. The poem examines all the nuances of love in great detail; unrestrained longing, awakened hope, disappointment, pride and anger against the unfaithful one and finally reconciliation and climactic passion, taking the reader, "... through the tempestuous process of emotional – and spiritual struggle – for grace." (Mason 2001, p. 192).

Through the interplay of longing and fulfillment, the poet celebrates the ultimate spiritual truth—love as the sole path to the union of Atman and Paramatman, the seeker and the divine. In this garland of emotions, love in union (samyoga) and love in separation (viyoga) are not mere earthly passions but metaphysical experiences laden with profound significance.

In Pahari Masters: Court Painters of Northern India, Artibus Asiae, Zurich, 1992, pp. 130-137, B. N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer attribute this great series, originally comprising over 140 paintings, to a 'master of the first generation after Nainsukh'. Archer considered the series to be by Sansar Chand's favourite artist Kushala (son of Manaku), assisted by his cousin Gaudhu (son of Nainsukh), both descendants of the master artist Pandit Seu (Archer 1973, vol.I, p.292). This series was possibly painted in anticipation of Sansar Chand's marriage in 1781 to the daughter of Kishan Singh of Suket. Archer pointed out that, in order that the subjects of the Gita Govinda may be put in a context familiar to the royal couple, the scenes of Radha and Krishna were set amongst scenery typical of the region.

The present painting poignantly captures one such moment of estrangement. Overcome with jealousy upon witnessing Krishna revel in the company of the Gopis, Radha, her heart heavy with sorrow, turns away in silent anguish. Krishna, fully conscious of his playful mischief, is ensnared in remorse, hesitating to call her back. Seated to the left, he confesses his guilt to the assembled Gopis, who, with varied expressions of concern, sorrow, and gentle counsel, reflect the emotional gravity of the moment. Radha, on the other hand, walks solemnly away, her bowed head and languid posture embodying the weight of betrayal and longing.

The painter masterfully orchestrates the composition to heighten the emotional resonance of the episode. A solitary, towering tree stands at the center, acting as both a literal and symbolic divide—Krishna’s regret on one side, Radha’s wounded heart on the other. The unembellished background, devoid of elaborate ornamentation, deepens the melancholic atmosphere, allowing the sorrow of the scene to take precedence. In its stillness, the painting captures the eternal yearning of the soul for the divine, echoing the very essence of the Gita Govinda—where love is both the path and the destination.

Other paintings from the series are preserved in the great museum collections of the world, including the Rietberg Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Several have been sold at Sotheby's, including one from the collection of Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck, sold in these rooms, 22nd March, 2002, lot 52, and another sold 24th March 2011, lot 91, and one from the collection of Stuart Carey-Welsh sold in our London rooms, 31st May 2011, lot 66. See also two paintings from the series sold recently at Pundole's, Mumbai, 21st November 2024, lots 5 and 6, for unprecedented prices.

For other published works in this series see:  

W.G. Archer, ‘Kangra’, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills: A Survey and History of Pahari Miniature Painting, London, 1973,  pl. 33 (i-vii). 

M. Chandra, Pahari Paintings from the Gita Govinda, 1971.  

Eberhard Fischer, ‘Gitagovinda - Das Lied vom Hirten und seine Illustrationen aus der Werkstatt des Nainsukh von Guler’, Liebeskunst: Liebeslust aund Liebesleid in der Weltkunst, Zurich, 2002, pp. 163-177.

Eberhard Fischer and B.N. Goswamy, Paintings by Nainsukh of Guler, Zurich, 1999, pp. 10-12, 34-43. 

Annapurna Garimella, edited by V. Dehejia, ‘My Heart Values his Vulgar Ways. A Handmaid's tale: Sakhis, Love, Devotion and Poetry in Rajput Painting’, Love in Asian Art and Culture, New York, 1998, figs. 1, 3-5, 7. 

B.N. Goswamy, ‘Pahari Painting: The Family as the Basis of Style’, Marg A Magazine of Architecture & Art, vol. 21, no. 4, Mumbai, 1968, pp. 17-62, 48f, pls. 37 & 38.  

B. N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer, Pahari Masters: Court Painters of Northern India, Artibus Asiae, Zurich, 1992, pp. 130-137. 

B.N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer, ‘The First Generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler’, Masters of Indian Painting II: 1650 – 1900, New Delhi, 2011, figs. 4–8. 

Karl Khandalavala, Pahari Miniature Painting, Mumbai, 1958, pl. E, figs. 243-244.  

Karl Khandalavala, Pahari Miniature Paintings in the N.C. Mehta Collection, Ahmedabad, 1958, pl. H, figs. 15 & 16. 

Darielle Mason, Intimate Worlds, Zurich, 2001, p. 192-195, figs. 82 & 83. 

N.C. Mehta, Studies in Indian Painting: a Survey of some New Material Ranging from the Commencement of the VII th century to circa 1870 AD, Mumbai, 1926, pl. 24. 

M.S. Randhawa, Kangra Paintings of the Gita Govinda, New Delhi, 1963. 

Stella Kramrisch, Painted Delight : Indian Paintings from Philadelphia Collections: Philadelphia Museum of Art, January 26 to April 20, exhibition catalogue,  Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, 1986, p. 131, pl. 121. 

Terence McInerney, Divine Pleasures. Paintings from India's Rajput Courts. The Kronos Collections, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2016, cat. nos. 77-85.

Andrew Topsfield, In the Realm of Gods and Kings: Arts of India, London, 2004, pp. 162-163, fig. 64.