Four male ascetics thumbnail 1
Four male ascetics thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Four male ascetics

Painting
ca. 1830 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Tanjore (painted)

Four male ascetics:
1. A Bhairagi (Vaishnavite devotee), in a loin cloth, carrying a lota and a rosary.
2. A mendicant (gosain)
3. A non-Brahmin Karnataka priest.
4. A fakir carrying a fan and a bird in a cage.
One in a volume of thirty folios depicting castes, occupations, methods of cultivation and procession scenes.


Object details

Categories
ELISE
Paintings
Indian Company Paintings
Object type
Painting
TitleFour male ascetics (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour and gouache on paper
Watercolour
Gouache
Paper
Painting
Brief description
Painting; gouache and watercolour, Four male ascetics, From a volume containing thirty folios depicting castes, occupations, methods of cultivation and procession scenes, Tanjore, ca. 1830
Physical description
Four male ascetics:
1. A Bhairagi (Vaishnavite devotee), in a loin cloth, carrying a lota and a rosary.
2. A mendicant (gosain)
3. A non-Brahmin Karnataka priest.
4. A fakir carrying a fan and a bird in a cage.
One in a volume of thirty folios depicting castes, occupations, methods of cultivation and procession scenes.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.5cm
  • Width: 58.5cm
Style
Company
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Byraugy' (Inscription; decoration; English; under figure 1; ink)
  • Bhairagi loka (Inscription; decoration; devanagari; Under figure 1; ink)
  • 'Gosawyee' (Inscription; decoration; English; Under figure 2; ink)
  • Gosayo loka (Inscription; decoration; devanagari; Under figure 2; ink)
  • 'Canary pundauram' (Inscription; decoration; English; Under figure 3; ink)
  • 'Phakeer' (Inscription; decoration; English; Under figure 4; ink)
Object history
From a volume containing thirty folios depicting castes, occupations, methods of cultivation and processions. Bought from Mr. G. Goolden who had it from his late cousin Richard Goolden. RP 87/672
Production
Tamil Nadu
Subjects depicted
Religious (People)
Mendicants
Bird
Cages
Priests
Bibliographic references
  • Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992, 59 - 65 p. ISBN 0944142303
  • Indian Jewellery: The V&A Collection London: V&A Publishing, 2008 Number: ISBN 9781851774838 p. 26, pl. 1.21
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.39:9-1987

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Record createdJanuary 21, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O20160/four-male-ascetics-painting-unknown/
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