Lot 39: A large Kalighat painting of Krishna

A large Kalighat painting of Krishna
India, Kolkata, 19th century
Standing on a lotus in his distinctive fluting pose, his blue-black skin contrasting with his bright yellow dhoti and red cape, his face with large eyes and flowing black hair topped with a peacock feather crown
54 x 38¾ in. (137 x 98.5 cm.)

Property from the Collection of Ariane Dandois


Kalighat paintings originated in the 19th century as a souvenir item associated with the Kalighat temple in Kolkata and gradually transformed into a distinguished school of painting of their own. They are characterized by fields of bold watercolors, applied onto paper in loose and wide brushstrokes. The figures are modeled with simple shadows into gently rounded forms, their faces with elongated eyes, against flat backgrounds.


The earliest paintings were made for those visiting the bazaar associated with the temple, who wanted Hindu deities, including Krishna, Shiva and, of course, Kali, the mother goddess. Over time, painters embraced a wider range of subjects, including genre scenes and contemporary events. Kalighat paintings served as commentary on social and political events, but paintings of these themes were necessarily smaller and summarily painted to meet the increasing demand. Paintings of the classical subjects of Hindu icons, such as this and the next two examples, are timeless, and rare for their exceptionally large size.