c. 1700-1725

The Longing Heroine (Virahini Nayika)

No text accompanies this painting, yet its subject can be identified as Virahini Nayika, the heroine who is deserted by her love and longs for his return. Absentmindedly, the desolate young woman feeds a flock of deer. Her thoughts are directed inward as she reflects with yearning on her loss. A maid attempts to comfort her friend by waving a peacock fan to provide a pleasant breeze. The pose of a woman holding onto a tree has its roots in ancient Indian art, but here the motif is empathetically adapted: the weeping branches mirror the heroine's sorrow.