Rama and Ahalya
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Rama and Ahalya is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a green-skinned man in bright orange and red robes standing over a seated woman. The man has a red headpiece and three curved horns, while the woman reaches up toward him. Both figures are outlined in bold black lines, and the background is a swirling purple cloud. The woman’s red skirt and the man’s detailed jewelry suggest wealth or status. The colors pop sharply against the plain background, making the figures stand out. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how artists use light and shadow for drama.
The painting depicts Rama freeing Ahalya, who had been transformed into stone as punishment for her infidelity after being seduced by Indra in disguise, according to the curse of her husband, the sage Gautama Maharishi. Executed in watercolour and tin alloy on cardboard in 1890, the work illustrates a moment from the Hindu epic tradition in which Rama’s touch restores her to human form.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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