Baman and Bali
1850
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Baman and Bali is a 1850 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows three figures against a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds. The woman on the left wears a red dress with gold jewelry and a feathered crown, standing tall while touching the head of a kneeling man in striped clothes. To her right, a bare-chested man holds a basket and a small pot, looking calm. The woman’s bold red outfit stands out against the sky, while the kneeling man’s striped clothing adds a simpler contrast. The scene feels balanced, with the standing woman as the clear focus. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
The painting is an opaque watercolor on paper from 1850, depicting Vishnu in his dwarf avatar, Baman, placing his third foot on the head of the demon king Bali. Baman, shown wearing a peacock feather headdress similar to Krishna’s, had been granted three spaces of land by Bali, a devotee of Vishnu. After covering heaven and earth with his first two feet, Baman asks where to place his third. The work was transferred from the Department of Engraving, Illustration & Design, with the reference RP 51/2237.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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