mia-asian-art: Lovers Watching an Approaching Thunderstorm, c. 1780-90, Minneapolis Institute of Art
mia-asian-art: Lovers Watching an Approaching Thunderstorm, c. 1780-90, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Chinese, South and Southeast Asian ArtA princely couple, surrounded by female musicians and attendants, gaze upon an approaching storm. The pastoral countryside is darkened on the right by thunder and lightning and punctuated by flying birds. In this classic painting from the hill state of Kangra in northern India, a couple embraces as heavy monsoon clouds darken the late summer sky. Lightning flashes startle cranes into flight, while an elegant peacock roosts on the building, undaunted by the impending cloudburst. Female musicians in a downstairs room prepare to serenade while attendants serve the amorous couple. The theme of this sensuous work is drawn from the Baramasa (The Twelve Months), a text that describes the romantic attributes of each month of the year. Artists often used rain clouds and lightning to symbolize romantic passion, and Kangra painters fully exploited this theme.Size: 13 3/16 x 10 5/16 in. (33.5 x 26.2 cm)Medium: Opaque watercolor and gold on paperhttps://collections.artsmia.org/art/4319/ -- source link
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