Sankhachur and Tulsi
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1890
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Sankhachur and Tulsi is a 1890 paint by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows two figures standing side by side. The person on the left has a bright blue face and body, wears a yellow cloth draped over their shoulder, and holds a curved stick. The person on the right has a yellow face, a red dress with black and white patterns, and holds a red object in their hand. The figures look like they’re part of a story, with bold colors and simple shapes. The style matches a type of Indian art called *kalighat*. Look up kalighat to see more paintings like this.
This watercolour and tin alloy painting on paper depicts a scene from the Ramayana featuring Sankhachur and Tulsi. Created around 1890, the work reflects the Kalighat style, known for its vivid colours, simplified forms, and rapid brushwork. The painting belongs to a tradition of Bengali artists who, by the 1830s, began producing works that addressed local mythology and societal tensions during British colonial rule. The object’s historical context situates it within Calcutta’s prominence as the capital of British India from 1833 to 1912.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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