Ruknuddin, 1666 – 1697

Ruknuddin: The 6 Best-Known Paintings

Of all Ruknuddin's paintings, Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) (1692) is the most famous; it hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Close behind come Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier (1690) and Krishna and the Gopis, folio from a dispersed manuscript of the Rasikapriya of Keshavadas (1690). Among the 6 works by Ruknuddin in our catalogue, these 6 are the most celebrated, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.

Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated November 2026. Each painting on this page can be ordered as an oil reproduction painted by hand on linen canvas, or as a fine art print, made to the size you choose.

Ruknuddin · 1666 – 1697

Born · died: 1666 – 1697, Bikaner
Works in our catalogue: 6
Most famous: Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) (1692)
Most works at: Cleveland Museum of Art

Ruknuddin's 10 most celebrated paintings

Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes)

1692 · Watercolor · Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

A tranquil nocturnal scene unfolds under a thin crescent moon and scattered white stars. A large, lush green tree dominates the vertical axis, its foliage rendered with fine, precise lines characteristic of the Bikaner school. Beneath this canopy, two figures occupy a grassy landscape, seated upon patterned mats. On the left, a dark-skinned male figure sits in profile, his expression contemplative as he holds a stringed instrument. To the right,…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $203 27 × 37 cm

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Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier

1690 · Watercolor · Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland

In this delicate miniature, we find ourselves within the quiet, structured atmosphere of a seventeenth-century court. The scene captures Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner in a moment of formal reception, seated with a composed dignity that defines his station. Before him stands a courtier, a figure of respect whose presence completes the ritual of the encounter. The composition is balanced and intentional, utilizing a centered arrangement that directs the eye…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $203 27 × 37 cm

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Krishna and the Gopis, folio from a dispersed manuscript of the Rasikapriya of Keshavadas

1690 · Watercolor · Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge

The air in the grove feels heavy and still, as if the sky itself has held its breath. Under a pale, overcast canopy of grey and blue, Krishna emerges with skin the color of a deep twilight. He wears a yellow dhoti that catches the soft, diffused light, and his crown rests upon his head with a quiet weight. Before him stands a Gopi, her patterned sari a sharp contrast…

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Ladies of the Zenana (Womens’ Quarters) on a Terrace at Night

1666 · Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland

About the Artist RuknuddinActive at the court in Bikaner ca. 1650-97. especially under the patronage of Anup Singh Bikaner, a desert town in Rajasthan, is known for a hybrid style that incorporates influences from both the Mughal workshops and the remote Deccan. Relatively little is known about the early phase of this type of painting. Two clans produced the majority of Bikaner’s painters. Ruknuddin, who had an impressively long career,…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $178 26 × 39 cm

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Asavari Ragini: Folio from a Ragamala Series

1694

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $178 27 × 37 cm

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Ladies of the Zenana on a Roof Terrace

1666

In this scene of harem women amusing themselves on a roof terrace, the artist evoked a comfortable and hedonistic world. The influence of Mughal painting is indisputable, in both the subject matter and the style in which it is rendered. Ruknuddin probably was trained by the Delhi painter ‘Ali Raza; he later replaced him as chief painter in Bikaner. Ruknuddin also spent some time in the Deccan, as inscriptions on…

Hand-painted oil reproduction from $178 27 × 38 cm

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What Ruknuddin painted most

The four subjects that return most often on these canvases, each with its best-loved example.

Man 2 works

Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) (1692), Ruknuddin

#1 Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) 1692 · Metropolitan Museum of Art

Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier (1690), Ruknuddin

#2 Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier 1690 · Cleveland Museum of Art

Where Ruknuddin's canvases hang

The 3 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum	City	Works by Ruknuddin	Paintings from this list
Cleveland Museum of Art	Cleveland	2	Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier, Ladies of the Zenana (Womens’ Quarters) on a Terrace at Night
Metropolitan Museum of Art	New York	1	Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes)
Harvard Art Museums	Cambridge	1	Krishna and the Gopis, folio from a dispersed manuscript of the Rasikapriya of Keshavadas

Year by year: Ruknuddin's most celebrated canvases

From 1690 to 1694, 5 years in all, Ruknuddin's dated canvases tell a brief story: here it is, year by year.

1690

Canvas 2 of 6
Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier
Age 24 · Cleveland Museum of Art
In this delicate miniature, we find ourselves within the quiet, structured atmosphere of a seventeenth-century court. The scene captures Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner in a moment of…
1690

3 of 6
Krishna and the Gopis, folio from a dispersed manuscript of the Rasikapriya of Keshavadas
Age 24 · Harvard Art Museums
The air in the grove feels heavy and still, as if the sky itself has held its breath. Under a pale, overcast canopy of grey and blue, Krishna…
1692

Ranked 1 of 6
Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes)
Age 26 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
A tranquil nocturnal scene unfolds under a thin crescent moon and scattered white stars. A large, lush green tree dominates the vertical axis, its foliage rendered with fine,…
1694

Canvas 5 of 6
Asavari Ragini: Folio from a Ragamala Series
Age 28
About the Artist RuknuddinActive at the court in Bikaner ca. 1650-97. especially under the patronage of Anup Singh Bikaner, a desert town in Rajasthan, is known for a…

Your questions on Ruknuddin's paintings, answered

Which is the most celebrated painting by Ruknuddin?Read the answer

Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) (1692), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier (1690) and Krishna and the Gopis, folio from a dispersed manuscript of the Rasikapriya of Keshavadas (1690) follow.

How old was Ruknuddin at the time of Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes)?Read the answer

Ruknuddin, born in 1666, was 26 years old: Kedar Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) dates from 1692.

How many paintings by Ruknuddin are known?Read the answer

6 works by Ruknuddin are in our catalogue, dated 1690 to 1694.

Which museums hold Ruknuddin's best-known canvases?Read the answer

Mostly in Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) and Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge); the list above names each museum and its canvases.

In which years did Ruknuddin paint the most celebrated canvases?Read the answer

In 1690, which gave 2 of the 6 works on this page, Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier among them.

What are the first and the last of Ruknuddin's famous canvases?Read the answer

The earliest canvas here is Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier (1690); the latest is Asavari Ragini: Folio from a Ragamala Series (1694).

What did Ruknuddin usually paint with?Read the answer

Watercolor, used in 3 of the 6 works on this page.

What can I see by Ruknuddin at the Cleveland Museum of Art?Read the answer

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland holds 2 of the works on this page, among them Maharaja Anup Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1669–98) Receives a Courtier and Ladies of the Zenana (Womens’ Quarters) on a Terrace at Night.

Can I order a hand-painted copy of a painting by Ruknuddin?Read the answer

Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered from its own page as an oil reproduction painted by hand, or as a fine art print, in the size you choose.

Ruknuddin: the painter's story

early life and career

ruknuddin, a celebrated artist of the bikaner painting atelier, was born in 1666 in india. he is known for his exquisite mastery of brushwork and portraiture, which defined the bikaner school in the second half of the seventeenth century.

artistic style and influences

ruknuddin's work is characterized by a unique blend of mughal and deccan influences, reflecting the hybrid style of the bikaner atelier. his long and established career was marked by his rise to the position of workshop director under the ruler anup singh (r. 1669–98). this close contact with the mughal shaili infused his personal style with a romantic and delicate quality.

notable works

* ruknuddin's asavari ragini: folio from a ragamala series (1694) is a notable example of his work, showcasing his mastery of watercolor. this painting can be found in the collection at TopImpressionists's ruknuddin gallery. * another significant piece, kedar ragini, demonstrates ruknuddin's skill in capturing the essence of bikaner's unique style.

legacy and significance

ruknuddin's contributions to the bikaner school have been instrumental in shaping the region's artistic identity. his influence can be seen in various aspects of indian art, from the use of watercolor to the emphasis on portraiture.

view ruknuddin's artwork at TopImpressionists's ruknuddin gallery
explore more about bikaner painting and its influences on a journey through art history with TopImpressionists’s extensive collection
discover the mughal shaili style and its impact on indian art at wikipedia's mughal era page

experience the beauty of ruknuddin's bikaner paintings with TopImpressionists's expertly crafted reproductions.

All 6 works by Ruknuddin → Ruknuddin painting reproductions, with prices →