Artwork
A parakeet
A parakeet is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Bahadur Lal II. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
A watercolour painting from 1880, attributed to Bahadur Lal II, features a parakeet as its central subject, set against a dark background with the bird perched on a berry-bearing branch.
Subject & Meaning
The parakeet, rendered in bright green, is the focal point, with its gaze directed towards the viewer, creating an sense of immediacy. The inclusion of berries on the branch adds a touch of naturalism.
Technique & Style
The painting showcases the artist's use of tiny, detailed brushstrokes to capture the play of light on the parakeet's wings, reflecting an emerging realism in 19th-century artistic practices.
History & Provenance
Later alterations to the composition include the addition of red mounts and hills by Ishwari Prasad's son, who worked as a mounter and restorer for P.C. Manuk, indicating the piece's journey through restoration and potential exhibition preparations.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bahadur Lal II was a meticulous observer who kept a small studio near Chandni Chowk’s noisy spice markets, where he’d sketch birds between commissions.
A parrot
Possibly ornate lorikeet, Tricholglossus ornatus
Green Parrot
Detail of pietra dura work from the Diwan-i Am, Delhi Palace and Fort
Green Parrot
Hawfinch
Depictions of Striated scops owl and Rose-ringed parakeet of Northern India
Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)
Untitled
Blossom-headed parakeet