Two illustrations from a Bihari Satsai, India, Mewar, circa 1719

The Sat Sai written in 1662 by the poet Bihari Lal is made up of dohas, couplets that explore the love of Krishna and Radha. In these illustrations the inscriptions read:

"Radha has adorned her forehead with red bindi and her dishevelled hair are presenting a splendid sight as if Rahu has swallowed the moon as well as the sun."

"As she (Radha) wore the garland of maulsiri around her fair complexioned neck, she became extremely radiant. It seems as if the very touch of it thrilled her and she merged with it /The white little finger with red nails and black ring adorning it looks splendid. Beholding this triveni even for a moment gives the eyes of bliss of conjugal love."

In the second illustration the word triveni refers to the confluence of three sacred rivers, the Ganges, the Saraswati and the Jamuna. With the colour of their waters being white, red and dark respectively as symbolised by the white finger, red nails and black ring of the hero depicted in the painting. Other leaves from the same series are illustrated in Binney 1968, p.23 no.8, Welch & Beach 1965, no.37a & b and Topsfield 2001, no.144. And another leaf from the same series offered through these rooms, 19 October 2016, lot 204.