Painting thumbnail 1
Not on display

Painting

ca. 1855 - ca. 1860 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The temple of Kali had been built at Kalighat in the seventeenth century at the location where Sati's toes were supposed to have fallen, a 'Pithasthan', on the east bank of the 'Adi-Ganga', an original course of the Ganges. The present temple was completed in 1809 and rapidly became a place of pilgrimage. It became customary for pilgrims to visit the Kalighat temple throughout the year. Its location, south of Calcutta, encouraged a small settlement to grow up. Eventually a brisk trade developed at Kalighat in pilgrims' souvenirs such as wooden dolls and terracotta figures. In the early 19th century 'patuas' (folk painters) were drawn from the surrounding areas into the city. They situated themselves around the temple producing souvenirs of watercolour 'patas' (pictures) depicting mainly religious and mythological subjects. Over time the local style developed and the subject matter grew to include social satire and study in natural history. As a popular art form, the Kalighat artists are recognised for their brilliant colours, simplified images and bold brushstrokes. This style of painting fell into decline in the 1930s, however a few artists have revived the tradition and continue to produce paintings reflecting contemporary themes.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour and tin alloy on paper
Brief description
Painting, winged apsaras spearing a stag, watercolour and tin alloy on paper, Kalighat, Kolkata, ca. 1855-1860
Physical description
Painting, in opaque watercolour and tin alloy on paper. Image of a 'pari', apsaras or a nymph spearing a stag. The 'pari' is depicted as wearing a short skirt but bare upper part of the body and with Kalighat style ornaments as well as an English style crown with a tousle, indicating an European influence. This is a Kalighat version of hunting Diana.
Dimensions
  • Height: 393mm (maximum)
  • Width: 280mm (maximum)
  • Card onto which object mounted height: 417mm
  • Card onto which object mounted width: 306mm
15/05/2013 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project 2013; object irregular in shape.
Content description
A pari' or a nymph spearing a stag.
Style
Credit line
Given by Rudyard Kipling Esq., Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex
Object history
Part of an album, containing 196 prints, paintings and pen and pencil drawings together with 37 loose pages of paintings, calligraphic drawings, and outline pen drawings. The collection is mainly composed of native lithograph pictures sold at the local bazaars and fairs of Upper India and Bengal. The album was collected by late J Lockwood Kipling between the years 1865 and 1893. In 1875 he became Principal of the Mayo School of Art, Lahore and held this post until his retirement in 1893. The album was presented to the Museum by his son, Rudyard Kipling in 1917.

Given by Rudyard Kipling Esq., Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

R.P. 1917-2627M, R.P. 1917-2705M
Subject depicted
Summary
The temple of Kali had been built at Kalighat in the seventeenth century at the location where Sati's toes were supposed to have fallen, a 'Pithasthan', on the east bank of the 'Adi-Ganga', an original course of the Ganges. The present temple was completed in 1809 and rapidly became a place of pilgrimage. It became customary for pilgrims to visit the Kalighat temple throughout the year. Its location, south of Calcutta, encouraged a small settlement to grow up. Eventually a brisk trade developed at Kalighat in pilgrims' souvenirs such as wooden dolls and terracotta figures. In the early 19th century 'patuas' (folk painters) were drawn from the surrounding areas into the city. They situated themselves around the temple producing souvenirs of watercolour 'patas' (pictures) depicting mainly religious and mythological subjects. Over time the local style developed and the subject matter grew to include social satire and study in natural history. As a popular art form, the Kalighat artists are recognised for their brilliant colours, simplified images and bold brushstrokes. This style of painting fell into decline in the 1930s, however a few artists have revived the tradition and continue to produce paintings reflecting contemporary themes.
Bibliographic references
  • Archer, W.G., Bazaar Paintings of Calcutta, Victoria & Albert Museum, H.M.S.O., 1955 p. 19, no. 12, p. 40, no. 12, pp.22-23 Archer, W.G., Kalighat Paintings a Catalogue and Introduction, Victoria & Albert Museum, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1971, pp.49-51. SBN 11 290029 1
  • Bryant, Julius and Weber, Susan, John Lockwood Kipling: Arts and Crafts in the Punjab and London Newhaven: Yale University Press, 2017 p. 316, fig. 11.15 and p. 537, cat. 118
Collection
Accession number
IM.2:82-1917

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Record createdMay 26, 2006
Record URL
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