Composition attributed to Nainsukh; painting attributed to Majnu
India, Himachal Pradesh, Basohli, ca. 1765–70
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
25.1 x 17.5 cm
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection—funds provided by the Friends of the Freer and Sackler Galleries
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
S2018.1.61
The artists Nainsukh and Majnu worked together on this tranquil image of the goddess Lakshmi with her husband, the deity Vishnu. The artists represented the divine couple as if they were the rulers of a kingdom in the foothills of the Himalayas, although Vishnu is easily recognizable by his blue skin, yellow garment, and the mace and conch shell he holds in two of his four arms. The painting exemplifies the lyrical qualities associated with the studio of the painter Nainsukh and his close followers: the graceful figures are meticulously drawn, the colors are delicate, and the patterns are precise. An inscription in takri script on the reverse reads, “Majnu te nainsukh ki banai hoi,” which conveys that the work was done jointly. Nainsukh was a senior artist, so it is likely he created the composition and Majnu laid in the colors.
In Nainsukh, Amit Dutta breathes new life into the painter’s old creations, reviving the intimacy of the grand worlds of the past through the time-defying medium of cinema. You can stream it here.