phenomenon arises—­the Guler manner providing the basis for yet a second great style.  Sansar Chand was obviously quite exceptional, for not only was he successful in politics and war, but from his early manhood was devoted to Krishna as lover god.  And it is this all-absorbing interest which explains the vast expansion of painting which now occurred.  Under Sansar Chand’s stimulus artists began to portray every situation involving Krishna, the cowherd.  He was shown as a baby crying for the moon, being washed by his foster-mother, Yasoda, or mischievously breaking pitchers full of curds.  He would be painted strolling with the cowherds, playing on his flute, or bringing the cattle home at evening.  But the main theme to which the artists constantly returned was his main cowgirl love.  Radha would be shown standing with Krishna in the forest, gazing trustfully into his eyes, seeking shelter with him from the rain or sitting with him by a stream.[112] Sometimes she and the cowgirls were shown celebrating the spring festival of Holi, Krishna syringing them with tinted water while they themselves strove to return his onslaughts by throwing red powder.[113] Often the scene would shift from the forest to the village, and Krishna would then be shown gazing at Radha as she dried herself after bathing or squatted in a courtyard cooking food.  At other times he appeared assisting her at her toilet, helping her to dress her hair or applying a beauty mark to her forehead.  If the scene was night itself, Radha would be shown sitting in her chamber, while far away across the courtyards and gardens would loom the small figure of Krishna waiting lonely on a bed.  Occasionally the lovers would be portrayed expressing their rapture by means of simple gestures.  Krishna’s arm would be shown placed lovingly around Radha’s shoulders, or Radha herself would be portrayed hiding her head on Krishna’s breast.[114] In all these pictures, the style had an innocent and exquisite clarity, suggesting by its simple unaffected naturalism the artists’ delight in Krishna’s character, their appreciation of the feminine mind, their sense of sex as inherently noble and their association of romance with God himself.

It is in a series of illustrations to certain texts, however, that Kangra painting reaches its greatest heights.  Among the many artists employed by Sansar Chand, a certain Purkhu was notable for his ’remarkable clearness of tone and delicacy of handling,’[115] and though none of his pictures are signed it is these qualities which characterize one of the two most famous sets of illustrations executed in Kangra.  The subject was the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana and the scenes illustrated ranged from Krishna’s birth and adventures with demons to his frolics with the cowgirls and final slaughter of Kansa.  Purkhu’s style—­if Purkhu is indeed the master responsible—­is remarkable for its luminous clarity, its faint suggestions of modelling, and above all for its natural use of rhythm.  In every scene,[116] cowherds appear engaged in different tasks, yet throughout there is a sense of oneness with Krishna himself.  Krishna is shown delighting all by his simple friendliness and dignified charm and the style itself endows each scene with gentle harmony.