Vibhasa Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series

Vibhasa Ragini is commonly represented by a man firing an arrow at a rooster to stop it from crowing at dawn and awaken his lover. Here, the male figure aims his arrow at a large rooster on the right who is perched on a rock under a tree. His lover sits cross-legged beside him. This painting is a pictorial metaphor for a raga, a musical phrase that is used as the basis for improvisation. This folio most likely belonged to an album of Ragamala or "Garland of Ragas" folios produced in Malwa. Sanskrit verses associated with the raga or the ragini depicted on the recto are written on the verso. Other folios from the same series in the Harvard Art Museum’s collection are objects 1972.346, 1972.347, 1973.156, 1973.158, 1973.173, 1973.174. Rajput, Rajasthani, Malwa School.