Hanuman, Rama and Sita
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Hanuman, Rama and Sita is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, depicting Kalighat, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a large, dark blue figure kneeling with its arms crossed over a bright orange circle. Inside that circle are two smaller figures in yellow robes, sitting on a golden platform. The big figure’s face is black with bold white dots around the edges, and its hands are simple black shapes. The orange circle looks like a tiny stage holding the two smaller figures, who appear to be in a different world. This style comes from a specific kind of Indian art called *kalighat*. Next, look up kalighat to see more paintings like this.
A watercolour painting on paper from 1890 depicts Hanuman, the monkey king, with blue fur, kneeling and opening his chest to reveal figures of Rama and Sita against a red background. The work reflects the Kalighat painting tradition of 19th-century Bengal, known for its vivid colours, simplified forms, and rapid brushwork. It was donated by Ernest H. Hindley and entered the collection under acquisition number RP 1914-2063M.
Read the full account in the museum source.
