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Augury of the crow (Vasakasajja Nayika)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The heroine in the doorway is waiting for her husband to return, but he is delayed, and ominous monsoon clouds gather in the distance. The pomegranate tree in her garden has ripe fruits replete with seeds and bright red juices, suggestive of her fertility, but a crow is perched there. The sound of a crow’s voice is an unlucky omen, and this further compounds her anxiety. Depictions of tense, relatable situations were made to elicit empathy in the viewer and emotions that heightened the pleasure of viewing and savoring paintings.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineAugury of the crow (Vasakasajja Nayika), c. 1800. Northern India, Pahari kingdoms. Gum tempera and gold on paper; overall: 21.4 x 14.5 cm (8 7/16 x 5 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin, 1989.337
