Lava, Kusha and Hanuman
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Lava, Kusha and Hanuman is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows four bright, flat figures in a forest setting. The man on the right, in a yellow-and-red outfit, is pulling a bowstring. Next to him, a dark-skinned figure watches, while two others—one kneeling, one standing—wear similar colorful clothes and seem to be reacting to the action. The background is simple: trees and a sky with a rainbow. The figures’ bold outlines and bright colors stand out against the plain background. The artist used short, sharp brushstrokes to show movement, especially in the bowman’s arm and the flying arrows. Next, look up Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
A watercolour and tin alloy painting on cardboard from 1890 illustrates a scene from the Ramayana in which Lava and Kusha, the sons of Rama, engage in combat with Hanuman after detaining the sacrificial white horse. The work reflects the Kalighat style, characterized by bold colors, simplified forms, and rapid brushwork, which emerged among artists in colonial Calcutta during the 19th century.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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