Malkos Raga: Page from a Dispersed Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This painting perfectly illustrates the Malkos raga text, which describes a lord attended by a woman with a fly whisk who is entertained by others that play heavenly music like gandharvas; he wears a necklace of elephant pearls and has a gold crest on his head. The text emphasizes that he is saturated with love and that his mind is happy. Here, the artist skillfully integrated these elements in composition that perfectly resonates with the mood of this raga.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art