Radha and Sakhis (friends) from the Rasikapriya

Object Details

• Court

  Mewar Court

• School/Tradition

  Rajput school

• Label

  Hindu texts frequently use romantic imagery to evoke the longing of the individual soul for union with the divine. The Kavipriya (Poems of the Beloved), written in the late sixteenth century, describes possible emotional situations that arise between lovers.

• Provenance

  At least 1963-1991

  Charles (1903-1997) and Catherine Page (1908-1996), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  From 1991

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift from Charles and Catherine Page [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See note by Moti Chandra (1909-1974), Director of the former Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay (now Mumbai), dated May 20, 1963, copy in object file. Moti Chandra’s notes states that the, “The Rasikapriya series in the collection of Mrs. Page could be dated c. 1640 [/] Moti Chandra [/] 20-5-[19]63.”

  See also “Receipt of Objects Deposited,” dated December 16, 1991, copy in object file. The object was transferred from Charles and Catherine Page to the Freer Gallery of Art for acquisition consideration on December 16, 1991. Object is described as one of “Six paintings: Pages from, ‘Kavi Pryua of Keshav Das,’ ca. 1640 […].”

  Charles (1903-1997) and Mary Catherine ‘Kitty’ Page (née Hall) (1908-1996) were collectors of Chinese, Japanese, and Indian art from San Francisco, CA and Kentfield, Marin County, CA. Both descendants of California pioneering families, Mr. and Mrs. Page were married in 1933. Mr. Page graduated from Yale University in 1924 and returned to California in 1934 where he worked as an insurance broker for twenty-five years. Together the couple were founding members of the Society for Asian Art (established 1958) and aided in the acquisition of the Avery Brundage Collection of Asian Art for the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. Additionally, Mr. Page was a trustee to several other San Francisco museums and the San Francisco Symphony.

  [2] See Freer Gallery of Art “Acquisition Consideration Form,” approved on December 20, 1991, copy in object file. Object is described as “Page from Kavi Priya of Keshav Das.” See also signed “Deed of Gift to the Freer Gallery of Art of the Smithsonian Institution,” copy in object file.

  Research updated October 19, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Masterworks of Indian Painting (December 13, 1997 to June 13, 1998)

  South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Charles and Catherine Page

• Origin

  Udaipur, Rajasthan state, Mewar, India

• Credit Line

  Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Page

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1640s, 1630s

• Name

  Page, Charles and Catherine

• Place

  Udaipur, Rajasthan state, Mewar, India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Art, Sisodia dynasty (861 - 1947)

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Paintings