Poetry in Painting | Exploring the Ever-Changing Nature of Love

VIEW PREVIEW      REQUEST A VALUATION      CONTACT A SPECIALIST

What Are Baramasa Paintings?

Baramasa is a Hindi compound word made of the numeral twelve and the noun for month. When associated to the pictorial arts of India, one thinks of a traditional genre of Indian painting that provides visual imagery for Baramasa poetry. These works portray a varied range of human emotions, primarily focusing on love, joy, and the pain of separation (viraha) experienced by lovers during the calendar’s seasons - summer, monsoon, autumn, pre-winter, winter, spring - often represented with the traditional pictorial device of the Radha-Krishna divine couple.

The summer months are often represented by the Jhulan Purnima, the swing festival symbolising the arrival of the monsoon season.  The rainy monsoonal months might show Radha gazing longingly at Krishna under a rain-soaked tree, symbolising the ache of being apart, while springtime scenes, bursting with flowers and lush greenery, celebrate the joy of union and the vitality of life. Trees, rivers, clouds, and blooming flora are not just decorative in Baramasa paintings - they act as symbolic representations of emotions, making the natural world a part of the story.

The paintings reflect the rich traditions of the Rajasthani and Pahari schools of Indian art, which flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. Our present group originates from Bundi, a major Rajasthani school of painting known for bold primary colours, dramatic landscapes and striking contrasts. On the other hand, the Pahari style favours delicate lines, soft pastel tones and subtle expression, capturing moments of intimacy and emotional nuance.

Complete sets of all twelve months are rare at auction and are therefore fiercely sought after. Partial groups, such as the four we are offering, remain highly collectable.

^{Four illustrations from a Baramasa series, c.1880-1920 (£400-600) | Left: Phalguna (February-March), Right: Chaitra (March-April)}

The first shows us Radha and Krishna playing with pigments in the foreground, while musicians dance joyfully around a bonfire; this is a key ritual of Holi called Holika Dahan (commemorates the burning of the demoness Holika and the triumph of devotion – Bhakti). The painting represents Phalguna, the months of February and March.

The second painting is the month of Chaitra (March-April), the fresh greenery and blooming flowers indicate the beginning of spring, where Radha’s emotions begin to stir with longing and happy expectation of Krishna.

^{Four illustrations from a Baramasa series, c.1880-1920 (£400-600) | Left: Ashadha (June-July), Right: Shravana (July-August)}

The third example depicts Krishna and Radha in an intimate setting; the darkened sky and encroaching clouds represent Ashadha (June–July), the onset of the monsoon season, when nature and emotion alike gather intensity.

The last depicts Shravana (July-August), the dark billowing clouds in the sky sit above Radha and her companions joyfully swinging on a jhula (swing) under an abundantly green tree.

This set, among many other interesting and captivating Indian, Islamic and Southeast Asian works of art, will be offered in our 15 May sale and available to view in person at our London Gallery Friday 8 - Wednesday 13 May.

Asian & Islamic Art

Friday 15 May | 10am

asianart@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

VIEW PREVIEW