A Nair Woman Adorns Herself

The woman depicted here is cast as regional, national and feminine ideals. Her saree, tucked under her arms, leaves her shoulder and arms free for movement. She uses those delicate limbs to adorn her hair with flowers lying in a heap on her lap. The features don't speak much for regional segregation but the hair style gives away the beauty and grace of the woman of Kerala. The jewellery she wears goes hand in hand with the simplicity of expression and attire. The sight and smell of fresh flowers is quite heady as she puts them in her hair do. A mirror and a container of perfume rest on the side table, discarded after use.

The carpet, the sofa and the pillar in the background says a lot for household of the woman portrayed. To add to that, the artist, with deft strokes of his brush, affects the thickness of the drapes, the richness of the cushion and the simplicity of her dress.