Artwork

Indian sports

Indian sports, by Hulas Lal, paint, 1830
Indian sports, by Hulas Lal, paint, 1830

Indian sports is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Hulas Lal. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

This painting, titled 'Indian sports', is a depiction of a traditional game or sport being played in a crowded setting.

Subject & Meaning

The scene shows a game involving curved sticks and a ball, with onlookers dressed in various attire, suggesting different social groups or affiliations. The central figures are shirtless players, while others watch intently.

Technique & Style

The composition includes a range of figures, from seated spectators to standing onlookers, as well as a background with a small building and trees, indicating a considered arrangement of elements.

Context

The mix of casual and formal clothing among the onlookers, including military uniforms, suggests a complex social context for the depicted activity.

Artist & collection

Artist

Hulas Lal

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