Ragamala Paintings from India: Poetry, Passions, Song

Dulwich Picture Gallery (London, United Kingdom) hosts Ragamala Paintings from India: Poetry, Passion, Song, the first exhibitions to be dedicated solely to the ragamala theme, displaying a rare grouping of 24 objects from the Claudio Moscatelli Collection. 
 
For 500 years it was one of the most prolific genres of Indian miniature painting, yet the term 'ragamala' remains elusive, frequently mistaken for the name of an artist or school of painting.  Italian-born Claudio Moscatelli 'discovered' Indian miniature painting at the Victoria and Albert Museum shortly after relocating to this country. Shortly after, Claudio travelled to India and his attention was quickly drawn to ragamala painting. What fascinated him most was its core theme: the relationship between the lover and beloved, a metaphor between human and Divine.
 
A ragamala or 'garland of ragas' is a set of miniature paintings depicting various musical modes, ragas, of Indian music. Each painting is accompanied by a brief caption or poem that describes the mood of the raga, most frequently love -in its various aspects- and devotion. Thus, ragamala painting became known as a genre combining painting, poetry and music. 

Date: until May 27
Location: The Dulwich Picture Gallery. London SE21 7AD. United Kingdom
Opening hours: from Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm. Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.