Rama, Lakshmana and Gavaksha
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Rama, Lakshmana and Gavaksha is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows three men in bright, bold colors. One man in purple and red stands firmly, gripping a sword. Another man in blue and yellow is twisted mid-fall, his arm caught by the third man in gold and black. The background is plain, letting the colors pop. The blue-skinned man looks different from the others—his skin is a cool blue, which might hint at something special about him. The artist used flat colors with sharp outlines, making everything stand out clearly. If you like this style, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more works like it.
This watercolour and tin alloy painting on paper depicts the scene from the Ramayana in which Rama and Lakshmana kill Gavaksha. Produced in Calcutta during the late 19th century, the work reflects the Kalighat style, characterized by vivid colours, simplified forms, and rapid brushwork. The painting belongs to a broader tradition of Bengali artists who, arriving from rural areas in the 1830s, created works that addressed local mythology, history, and social tensions under colonial rule.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Your cart is empty
Explore artworks →
