Mahakala
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Mahakala is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, depicting Kalighat, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows two figures standing near a blue-robed face inside a golden temple shape. The figure on the left wears a bright yellow and orange outfit, while the one on the right is dressed in red and white stripes, kneeling with one hand resting on a golden pot. Behind them, two small temple towers sit on a cloudy blue background, with a red border framing the whole scene. The style looks simple but bold, with flat colors and clear outlines. This kind of painting comes from a tradition called *kalighat*, which was popular in 19th-century India. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
The artwork depicts a watercolor and tin alloy painting on cardboard, showing priests engaged in worship of Mahakala, a form of Shiva. Created in 1890 by an unknown artist, it was included in the 1971 exhibition *Tantra* at the Hayward Gallery in London, curated by Philip S. Rawson and the Arts Council of Great Britain.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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