Indo-Persian / Hindi Miniature: Krishna and Radha with Attendant Gopis, on Reused Devanagari Manuscript Leaf, c. 1860-1880 Anonymous

A vivid late-19th-century miniature painting depicting Krishna and Radha seated on a couch beneath a tree by a river, attended by three gopis playing instruments and offering a chalice. A peacock stands in the foreground amid rocks and lotus pools. The composition, finely outlined and balanced, belongs to the Jaipur or Nathdwara tradition, reflecting Mughal- influenced modeling and romantic devotional themes. The painting was executed on a reused Devanagari manuscript leaf, whose text-visible on the reverse and margins- appears to be a vernacular accounting or ledger record, consistent with Marwari mercantile documents of mid-19th century Rajasthan. TRANSLATION / ANALYSIS (FRONT & REVERSE) Front: No visible poetic or Persian inscriptions. Marginal Devanagari text likely inherited from original paper source. Reverse transcription (selected readable portions): 1. 'नाम श्री.' - Name: Shri . 2. 'रुपये १२५' - 125 rupees 3. 'लेिखत िदनांक.' - Written (dated) . (date lost) 4. 'खाताबही नं ३२१' - Ledger Book No. 321 5. 'व्यापार / माल' - Trade / Goods 6. 'रुपये २१५' - 215 rupees 7. 'जमा कु ल.' - Total sum . 8. 'स्वहस्ताक्षर.' - Signature in own hand . The reverse confirms the reused nature of the folio, originating from a commercial or clerical ledger, most likely in a Marwari merchant context. CONCLUSION A rare and finely preserved Indo-Persian/Hindi devotional miniature, representing the syncretic visual culture of 19th-century Rajasthan. Painted over an older vernacular manuscript leaf, it embodies both the artistic refinement of the Jaipur-Nathdwara school and the resourceful reuse of writing material from commercial or bureaucratic contexts. Exceptional condition and strong color saturation make this a notable example for collectors and scholars alike.