Vishnu and Ananta thumbnail 1
Vishnu and Ananta thumbnail 2
Not on display

Vishnu and Ananta

Drawing
ca. 1885 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, Vishnu resting on Ananta, the serpent of eternity, who acted as the deity's couch when he slept during intervals of creation.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleVishnu and Ananta (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour on paper
Brief description
Painting, Vishnu resting on Ananta, opaque watercolour on paper, Kalighat, Kolkata, ca. 1885
Physical description
Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, Vishnu resting on Ananta, the serpent of eternity, who acted as the deity's couch when he slept during intervals of creation.
Dimensions
  • Height: 18in
  • Width: 11in
Content description
Vishnu resting on Ananta , the serpent of eternity, who acted as the deity's couch when he slept during intervals of creation.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
(handwritten on object)
Translation
[subject's name]
Transliteration
'Ananta'
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
Bibliographic references
  • Kalighat paintings : a catalogue and introduction / by W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1971 Number: 0112900291 : pl. no. 51, cat. no. 25, xxxiv: p.70.
  • Sinha, Suhashini, and Panda, C, eds. Kalighat Paintings from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2012. ISBN 1851776656. p. 50
Collection
Accession number
IS.567-1950

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Record createdJanuary 7, 2003
Record URL
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