Nataraja (Shiva as lord of the dance)
1820
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1820
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Nataraja (Shiva as lord of the dance) is a 1820 paint by Unknown, a Patna School of Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a Hindu deity dancing in a circle of fire. The dancing figure is Shiva, a important god in Hinduism. This painting is special because it shows a subject that's not usually found in Company paintings, which were made by Indian artists for British people in India. You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique of chiaroscuro.
This Company painting depicts Shiva as Nataraja, the lord of the dance, with one leg raised while standing atop a small figure, accompanied by a male figure to the left and a female figure to the right. Part of a collection of 100 such works, it portrays Hindu deities, differing from the more common Company painting themes of occupations and costume. The scene likely reflects a scholarly English patron’s interest in Hindu iconography.
Read the full account in the museum source.
