painting
- Museum number
- 1948,1009,0.156
- Description
-
Gouache painting on paper of a market stall selling models of religious and everyday life themes. The trader is shown seated on the first tier of the stall. She wears a green sari with a yellow blouse and the pallu (headpiece of the sari) covers her head and shoulders. She wears a large amount of jewellery at her neck, arms, ankles and wrists. She is lifting one of numerous small figures or models from a tier of the stall, which is being pointed at by a customer. The customer is shown from the back and wears a grey tunic over green trousers. He stands in front of the stall which is comprised of five levels that display religious images and examples of trades and occupations which are for sale. These include images of Gaṇeśa, Kali, Durgā, Kṛṣṇa, Hanumān, Lakṣmī, Viṣṇu, cows, a bhisti (water seller), a tailor and warriors and attendant figures. To the right of the stall is a potter working at his wheel. He is bare-chested and wears yellow trousers and a white cap on his head. Surrounding him on the floor are examples of the items he is making out of clay, including bowls, urns and little and large lamps.
- Production date
- 1870 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 26.50 centimetres
-
Width: 39.80 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Blurton, R:
The European notion of perspective and of indicating volume by shading, are evident here, though the painter was undoubtedly Indian. The subject-matter also suggests the patron was European, probably British. The activities of the different caste groups - here potters- were of considerable interest both to casual visitors to India and to administrators.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2007 9 Aug-11 Nov, London, BM, Faith, Narrative and Desire: Masterpieces of Indian Painting in the British Museum.
- Acquisition date
- 1948
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1948,1009,0.156
