Johnson 31,1-6

J.31,1-6

Thirty-two drawings for a ‘ragamala’ series, arranged according to the Ordinary system.

Commissioned by Richard Johnson, Lucknow, c.1780-82.

Richard Johnson Collection. Purchased 1807.

‘Charbas,’ some with colour; mounted in an album in groups on six pages; each page decorated with leaf garlands drawn in ink; rebound in modern red leather, c.1969.

Page 365 by 212 mm (approx.).

Published: Waldschmidt (1962), 185-89; Ebeling (1973), 213, no.94 (xxv-xxvi illustrated); Waldschmidt (1975), 541, no.31.

Note: The miniatures in this series are all’ charbas’ with the exception of J.31, 1(vi) which is a drawing made from a ‘charba.’ The total of thirty-two pictures are all ‘ragamala’ subjects of the iconographic tradition of the Ordinary system with a few idiosyncrasies such as J.31, 4(xix). Ramakali Ragini, Hindola Raga, Dipaka Raga, Dhanasri Ragini and Pancham Ragini are missing from the full quota of thirty-six, and there are two copies of Patamanjari Ragini. The series shows a close link with Johnson Album 32, and similar compositions are found in the ‘ragamalas’ of J.66, 4v-9v, and J.45, 1-6 and 8. J.20, 5 may be the original for J.31, 1(vi) via a ‘charba.’

The arrangement is in an orderly fashion, six to the page under the respective ‘ragas.’ Each picture is identified, and at the top of each page is the name of the ‘raga’ and the month appropriate to it. The pictures are joined by drawings of garlands which are apparently simple precursors of the floral garlands similarly used in J.66, 4v-9v.

The most plausible explanation of this album is that it is Johnson’s original sketch of the arrangement wanted by him, an arrangement subsequently carried out in two versions of slightly different sizes in Albums 32 and 66. While Album 31 is the simplest and most sketchy of the three it is nevertheless the most comprehensive in that the names of the ‘ragas’ and their pendant ‘raginis’ have been supplied. The ‘charbas’ are presumably those used for making the pictures of Albums 32 and 66, and later after they had served their purpose they would have been put into their relevant positions in this album for safe keeping.

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J.31,1

Bhairava Raga with related raginis.

Inscribed in nagari characters with the identification of each picture; at top: ‘bhairava raga’ and’ sarado ritu’ (autumn, the season appropriate for Bhairava Raga).

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J.31,2

Malkos Raga and related raginis.

Inscribed in nagari characters with the identification of each picture; at top: ‘malkos raqa’ and’ sisira ritu’ (cold season, appropriate for Malkos Raga).

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J.31,3

The raginis of Hindola Raga.

Inscribed in nagari characters with the identification of each picture; at top: ‘hindola raga’ and ‘vasanta ritu’ (spring, the season appropriate for Hindola Raga).

Hindola Raga is missing.

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J.31,4

The raginis of Dipaka Raga.

Inscribed in nagari characters with the identification of each picture; at top: ‘dipaka raga’ and’ grisma ritu’ (summer, the season appropriate for Dipaka Raga).

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J.31,5

Megha Raga and related raginis.

Inscribed in nagari characters with the identification of each picture; at top: ‘megha raga’ and’ varsa ritu’ (rainy season, appropriate for Megha Raga).

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J.31,6

Sri Raga and related raginis.

Inscribed in nagari characters with the identification of each picture; at top: ‘sri’ ‘raga’ and ‘hemanta ritu’ (winter, the season appropriate for Sri Raga).