Kali
1710
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1710
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Kali is a 1710 paint by Unknown, a Barbizon school work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a dark-skinned goddess sitting on a tiger, surrounded by people and animals. She has four arms, holds weapons, and wears a crown and heavy jewelry. Around her, some figures kneel, others fight or dance, and animals like dogs and birds move in chaos. The colors are bold—reds, yellows, and golds stand out against a dark background. Notice how the goddess’s face is calm while the scene around her is wild. The mix of action and stillness creates a strong contrast. Look up Baroque to see how this painting fits into that dramatic style.
This opaque watercolour painting on paper from 1710 depicts Kali, the Great Goddess, seated triumphantly atop the supine Shiva, rendered with dark skin and four arms, wearing a golden crown. Female devotees flank her on either side, while Brahma in a dark red dhoti appears to the right and Vishnu in a dark yellow dhoti to the left. The scene includes scattered corpses being consumed by jackals and vultures against a greyish-black background.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Your cart is empty
Explore artworks →
