Man with two ladies
Artist Unknown, India, Punjab Hills, Nurpur School
Description
In this scene from everyday life, two women greet a man in front of a marble pavilion. Each of the figures appears in a restrained pose, standing erect with bent arms held close to the body, and a calm facial expression. But the exchange of intense gazes suggests it is no mere social call.
This painting is from Nurpur, a small state in the Punjab Hills. Compared to paintings from neighboring states, such as Basohli and Mankot, works from Nurpur employ a darker palette—instead of pure hues, there are brick reds, mustard yellows, olive greens—and figures are elongated. Although the compositions may seem static, they can be quite arresting on their own terms.
Exhibited in "Divine Encounters, Earthly Pleasures: Twenty Centuries of Indian Art" at UMMA, 12/12/03–2/22/04.
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