Abhimanyu and Uttara
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Abhimanyu and Uttara is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, depicting Kalighat, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows two figures standing side by side. The person on the left wears a blue and black striped outfit with a red skirt, holding a small object in their right hand. Their head is crowned with a yellow and red halo-like shape. The person on the right is dressed in a red garment with white dots, holding a red object in their raised hand. Both have bold outlines and bright colors, with gold accents on their arms and heads. The woman’s red dress has a pattern of small dots, and both figures have simple, strong facial features. Notice how the artist used flat colors and clear lines to create a striking image. Look up kalighat to learn more about this style of painting.
A watercolour and tin-alloy painting on paper from 1890 depicts a scene from the Ramayana, showing Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, with his wife Uttara. The work reflects the Kalighat painting tradition that emerged in Calcutta during the 19th century, characterized by bold colours, simplified forms, and rapid brushwork. Kalighat artists, many of whom migrated from rural Bengal, created these works to capture local mythology, customs, and societal tensions under British colonial rule. The painting is part of a broader movement that flourished in Calcutta, then the capital of British India, from…
Read the full account in the museum source.
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