A Courtesan with a violin thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

A Courtesan with a violin

Drawing
ca. 1930 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Calcutta (made)

Lithograph illustration of a seated courtesan playing a violin, based on a Kalighat model.


Object details

Categories
Prints
Folk Art
Musical Instruments
Object type
Drawing
TitleA Courtesan with a violin (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Lithograph on paper
Watercolour
Paper
Lithograph
Brief description
Kalighat style lithograph of a courtesan playing a violin. Calcutta 1930.
Physical description
Lithograph illustration of a seated courtesan playing a violin, based on a Kalighat model.
Dimensions
  • Height: 370mm
  • Width: 275mm
Style
Kalighat Painting
Object history
One of three Kalighat styled lithographs depicting scenes of current life in Calcutta.
Printed at Kansaripara Art Studio, 26 Kristo Das Pal Lane, Calcutta. See IS 47-1952 , IS 48-1952.

A gift of Dr W.G. Archer.

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.
Bibliographic references
  • Jain, J. (1999) 'Kalighat Paintings: Images from a Changing World'. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing Pvt Ltd.
  • 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.26, fig.2.11
  • Kalighat paintings : a catalogue and introduction / by W.G. Archer. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1971 Number: 0112900291 : fig. 81, cat. no. 41, iii: p.96.
  • Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) : p.53
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.50-1968

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Record createdJanuary 7, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72646/a-courtesan-with-a-violin-drawing-unknown/
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