Parvati and Ganesh
1885
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1885
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Parvati and Ganesh is a 1885 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting depicts two women and a child. The women are dressed in traditional Indian attire, with the woman on the left wearing a red and black striped dress and the woman on the right wearing a black and orange striped dress. Both women have long black hair and are adorned with jewelry. The child, who appears to be a boy, is wearing a white outfit and has a distinctive elephant-like head. The women are standing in front of a plain background, with no discernible setting or context. The overall style of the painting is reminiscent of Indian folk art, with bold lines and bright colors. The painting's use of vibrant colors and simple composition makes it an interesting example of Indian art. To learn more about the style and technique used in this painting, you could explore the movement of Impressionism.
The painting is an opaque watercolour on paper from 1885, depicting Parvati taking her son Ganesh to her father’s house. It belongs to the Kalighat tradition, a popular art form that emerged in 19th-century Calcutta, known for its vivid colours, simplified figures and quick brushwork. The work was acquired from Miss M Steele, part of a collection inherited from her mother. Kalighat paintings often reflected local mythology, customs and the social tensions of a colonised society during British rule.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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