Artwork
Bird and Temple
Bird and Temple is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Ishwari Prasad. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Bird and Temple is a 1940 watercolor painting by Ishwari Prasad, featuring a Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse in a natural setting with a temple in the background.
Subject & Meaning
The painting juxtaposes a realistically depicted Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, identifiable by its brown and blue plumage, with a lightly sketched temple and surrounding environment, suggesting a contrast between the detailed observation of nature and a more suggestive, subtle representation of architecture.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor, the work showcases a mix of rendering styles: the bird is meticulously detailed, while the temple, spire, tree, and foreground elements (including green plants and water) are characterized by loose, watery lines, indicative of a quick sketching approach for the background.
History & Provenance
Created in 1940, the painting is signed 'Ishwari Prasad', confirming authorship. Specific provenance details are not provided.
Context
While direct contextual influences are not specified, the style hints at an interest in both naturalism and expressive simplicity, potentially reflecting broader artistic tendencies of its time.
Legacy
The painting's legacy is not extensively detailed, though its style is noted to have parallels with works found in collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum, implying a place within a broader tradition of watercolor practice.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Depictions of a Indian house-sparrow and a Painted sand-grouse (male) of Northern India
One of nine drawings of birds.
A parakeet
A peacock
Turtur Risorius
Untitled
A pink-breasted bird
Oriental dwarf kingfisher
A parrot
Depictions of a (unfinished drawing) and a Rock bush-quail of Northern India
Hermit Thrush