Hanuman and Ravana thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Hanuman and Ravana

Painting
ca. 1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Painting, in opaque watercolour with tin alloy details, illustration to the Ramayana, Hanuman the monkey god fighting Ravana, the blue skinned, multi-headed, multi-armed demon king of Lanka against a tree. Hanuman is here painted in pale grey,to contrast with the blue skinned Ravana. The artist has included a minimal background here of one tree, to represent a forest setting. Personal adornments of necklaces, hair and ear ornaments are painted in tin alloy.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleHanuman and Ravana (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in watercolour and tin alloy on paper
Brief description
Painting, Hanuman fighting with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, opaque watercolour and tin alloy on paper, Kolkata, ca. 1830
Physical description
Painting, in opaque watercolour with tin alloy details, illustration to the Ramayana, Hanuman the monkey god fighting Ravana, the blue skinned, multi-headed, multi-armed demon king of Lanka against a tree. Hanuman is here painted in pale grey,to contrast with the blue skinned Ravana. The artist has included a minimal background here of one tree, to represent a forest setting. Personal adornments of necklaces, hair and ear ornaments are painted in tin alloy.
Dimensions
  • Height: 404mm (maximum)
  • Width: 277mm (maximum)
31/07/13 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project 2013; object irregular in shape
Content description
Hanuman the monkey god fighting Ravana, the blue skinned, multi-headed, multi-armed demon king of Lanka against a tree. Hanuman is here painted in pale grey,to contrast with the blue skinned Ravana. The artist has included a minimal background here of one tree, to represent a forest setting.
Style
Object history
Historical significance: Calcutta was recognised as the Capital of British India from 1833-1912. By the 1830s, artists had arrived from rural villages in Bengal and began to produce paintings that reflected local history, mythology, customs and conflicts of a colonised society. As a popular art form, these artists are recognised for their use of brilliant colour, simplified images and swift brushstrokes that became the hallmark of Kalighat painting in the 19th and early 20th century.
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceRamayana
Bibliographic reference
Archer, W.G (1973) Kalighat Painting, HMSO, London, p44.
Collection
Accession number
IS.198-1950

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Record createdDecember 5, 2002
Record URL
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