Artwork
Kali Enshrined (verso), from a Kalighat album
Kali Enshrined (verso), from a Kalighat album is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work, titled Kali Enshrined (verso), is a painted sheet from a Kalighat album.
About this work
Technique & Style
Kali Enshrined (verso) is a painting on paper created in 1890, depicting a Hindu goddess in a devotional context typical of Kalighat folk art.
Kali Enshrined (verso) is a painting on paper created in 1890, depicting a Hindu goddess in a devotional context typical of Kalighat folk art. Executed in ink and watercolor, the work is rendered on thin paper that has been adhered to a backing support, a common handling practice for fragile Calcutta bazaar prints. The composition features bold outlines and flat areas of color, reflecting the stylized linearity and narrative immediacy associated with Kalighat painting traditions.
The verso bears faint impressions of album pagination, suggesting the sheet was once part of a bound collection of religious images.
History & Provenance
The painting Kali Enshrined (verso), part of a Kalighat album, was created in 1890 by an unknown artist. It is classified as a painting originating from the Kalighat tradition in India. The work is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1980.216.b. No further details regarding specific commissioning patrons, the exact chain of ownership prior to the museum, or the circumstances of its creation are provided in the available records.
Overview
The work, titled Kali Enshrined (verso), is a painted sheet from a Kalighat album. It portrays a dark‑skinned female deity with long black hair, dressed in a red sari patterned with white dots and a gold necklace. The figure is surrounded by a bright yellow field and a green sunburst behind her head, emphasizing her commanding presence.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is the Hindu goddess Kali, recognizable by her multiple arms, fierce expression, protruding red tongue, and a crown adorned with green feathers. She holds a sword, a skull, and a severed head, symbols associated with destruction, mortality, and the triumph over evil, underscoring her role as a powerful, transformative force.
Context
Kalighat albums were popular devotional prints produced in 19th‑century Kolkata, often depicting deities for household worship. This piece reflects the syncretic visual language of the period, merging traditional iconography with the commercial print techniques that made religious imagery accessible to a broad urban audience.
Artist & collection
- The Goddess Kali (recto), from a Kalighat album
Kali Enshrined (verso), from a Kalighat album
Kali
Kali
Leaf from a Kalighat album: The Goddess Kali (recto); Kali Standing on Shiva (verso)
Krishna as Kali worshipped by Radha (recto), from a Kalighat album
Kali Standing on Shiva (verso), from a Kalighat album
Kali, from a Kalighat album
Kali
Leaf from a Kalighat album: Two Aspects of Kali
Kali
Kali Dancing on Shiva (recto), from a Kalighat album
