Ganesha
1860
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1860
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Ganesha is a 1860 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a blue-skinned figure with an elephant head sitting cross-legged. The figure wears a red and gold outfit with beaded necklaces and a crown of leaves. One hand holds a golden object, and the other rests on the knee. The background is bright yellow with small figures and patterns around the head. The figure’s face has bold white and red details, and the colors are flat with little shading. The painting looks like it was made to be colorful and easy to recognize. If you like this style, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more works like it.
The artwork is a 19th-century painting rendered in opaque watercolour on paper, depicting the Hindu deity Ganesha with four arms seated on a lotus and his vehicle, a rat. Produced in Calcutta during a period when the city served as the capital of British India, the piece reflects the Kalighat painting tradition, characterized by vivid colours, simplified forms, and quick brushwork. The work captures local mythology and cultural themes within a colonial context.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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