Drawn from a collection of 80 Indian paintings generously donated by John Kenneth Galbraith, professor emeritus at Harvard and former U.S. ambassador to India, this exhibition celebrates the discerning tastes of this collector, described by the exhibition's organizer, Rochelle Kessler, as a contemporary rasika, or scholar-connoisseur.

An Encounter at a Well, c. 1745, India, Rajasthan, Kishangarh, Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 29.1 x 17.2 cm. Gift of John Kenneth Galbraith, 1972.350.

These works were painted in the 17th to 19th centuries for patrons of the Rajput courts in Rajasthan and the hills of Punjab, and reveal a rich visual legacy of religious, poetic and courtly themes. Amorous scenes predominate here, including dalliances of the god Krishna and gopis (milk-maidens), and of nayakas (heroes) with nayikas (heroines). Rochelle Kessler is the acting assistant curator in the Department of Islamic and Later Indian Art. Press Release.