What does desire sound like – and what would it look like if it were a person? What does the call of a peacock signify? What fragrance emanates from the blossoming tree under which the young woman is playing a lute? The extraordinary exhibition at Museum Rietberg is dedicated to Ragamala, a jewel of Indian miniature painting where music, poetry and painting fuse together. Artists at Indian royal courts began visually expressing music in their paintings in the 15th century. The melodies were associated with certain moods and portrayed as human characters based on verses of poetry. They speak of love, pain, melancholy and desire. The exhibition presents around fifty magnificent masterpieces of Ragamala painting from the museum’s collection, supplemented with works by contemporary miniature painters. Viewers are invited to experience their stories through the interplay of imagery, music, poetry and fragrance. Newly arranged music, scents and films allow the viewers to immerse themselves in the world of Ragamala painting. Sound and imagery merge to create an extraordinary sensual experience. The exhibition is the result of the Ragamala project, which was established in 2021 as part of the GBF research program for Indian art and artists at Museum Rietberg.