Detail View: ADJUNCT MODULE C: WORLD ART: Balarama
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Collection:
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ADJUNCT MODULE C: WORLD ART
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Preferred Title:
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Balarama
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Image View:
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Overall view
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Creator:
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unknown (Indian (South Asian))
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Location:
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repository: Indian Museum (Kolkata, West Bengal, India) R.10052
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Location Note:
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(Calcutta); 27, Jawaharlal Nehru Rd. Provenance: Kolkata, Kalighat
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GPS:
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+22.558056+88.350833
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Date:
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ca. 1830-1890 (creation)
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Cultural Context:
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Indian (South Asian)
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Style Period:
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Kalighat; Nineteenth century
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Work Type 1:
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watercolor (painting)
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Classification:
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Paintings
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Material:
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opaque watercolor (gouache) and tin alloy on paper
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Technique:
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aquarelle (technique)
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Subjects:
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deities; Great Britain--Colonies; Hinduism; Vaishnavism; colonialism
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Description:
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Balarama is a Hindu deity and the elder brother of Krishna (an avatar of the god Vishnu). One of his attributes is the plow; he is shown holding a curved plow blade. The Kalighat style of watercolor painting was used by artists working in Calcutta (Kolkata) in the nineteenth century; the works produced were sold inexpensively to pilgrims to the nearby Kalighat Kali temple. This style demonstrates the European (British) influence on Indian folk art, which can be seen here in the costume. These rapidly produced paintings are characterized by bold colors, broad sweeping brush lines, simplified forms, and little or no backgrounds. The style disappeared in favor of inexpensive colored lithographs in the 20th century. (Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus; http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/aat/)
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Collection:
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Archivision Adjunct Module C: World Art
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Identifier:
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7A2-IN-ZOL-BG-BA-A01
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Rights:
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© Scott Gilchrist, Archivision, Inc.
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