Painting

Physical description

Fresh water prawn shown with a pale blue body, red markings, whiskers and two long claws. Swimming about its head are three small catfishes in white and brown each with two long barbels. This is a 20th century copy of a Kalighat painting illustrating a proverb.

Place of Origin

Calcutta, India (made)

Date

ca. 1940 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Watercolour on paper

Object history note

Historical significance: Calcutta was recognised as the capital of British India from 1833-1912. By the 1830s, artists had arrived in Calcutta from rural villages in Bengal and began to produce paintings that reflected the 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 hall mark of Kalighat painting in the 19th and early 20th century.

Descriptive line

Kalighat painting of a fresh water prawn with three cat fishes. Calcutta ca. 1940.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Archer, W.G (1972) Kalighat Paintings, HMSO. Victoria and Albert Museum. Khanna, B (1993) Kalighat: Indian Popular Painting 1800-1930, Redstone Press, London

Materials

Paper; Watercolour; Silver

Subjects depicted

Catfish

Categories

Paintings

Collection code

IND