Painting
ca. 1890 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Painting, in watercolour on paper, a bright yellow cat with large black markings and a fish in its mouth is often interpreted as an illustration of a Bengali proverb. The composition suggests the cat is a satirical representation of a false ascetic who despite renouncing the world is unable to control its lust.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Kalighat painting, of a cat with a fish in its mouth, watercolour on paper, Kolkata, ca. 1890 |
| Physical description | Painting, in watercolour on paper, a bright yellow cat with large black markings and a fish in its mouth is often interpreted as an illustration of a Bengali proverb. The composition suggests the cat is a satirical representation of a false ascetic who despite renouncing the world is unable to control its lust. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Content description | A bright yellow cat with large black markings and a fish in its mouth is often interpreted as an illustration of a Bengali proverb. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Cat caught a fish' (Inscribed on the reverse in English) |
| Credit line | Given by M. N. Varvill, Esq. |
| Object history | Given by M N Varvill, Esq., in 1955. Historical significance: Calcutta was 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 hallmark of Kalighat painting in the 19th and early 20th century. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.261-1955 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | September 16, 2002 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
