Artwork
Hindoo Temple Sculpture, Southern India, Hullabeed
Hindoo Temple Sculpture, Southern India, Hullabeed is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist William Henry Pigou. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Hindoo Temple Sculpture, Southern India, Hullabeed is a mid-19th-century black-and-white photograph by William Henry Pigou, depicting a densely carved temple wall in Southern India.
Subject & Meaning
The photograph captures intricate temple carvings, including rows of figures, animals, and patterns, as well as ornately designed pillars and narrative-style carvings on shelves, highlighting the richness of Hindu temple art.
Technique & Style
Pigou, a doctor-turned-photographer, emphasized the interplay of light and shadow to achieve a near three-dimensional effect, elevating the documentary aspect of the image to an artistic representation.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1855, the photograph is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection, reflecting Pigou's travels in India and his unique approach to capturing architectural and artistic details.
Artist & collection
Artist
This guy lugged a giant glass-plate camera through southern India in the 1850s, dodging lizards and temple priests alike.
The Great Bull
Hindoo Temple Sculptures, Southern India, Hullabeed
Relief sculpture of the great temple at Halebid
Hoyshaleshvara Temple Sculpture, Halebidu (Halebeedu)
Great Pagoda, Great Bull, Front View, Tanjore, India (Rajarajeshvara Temple), plate 12 from Photographic Views of Tanjore and Trivady (Madras: Madras Presidency)
The Great Bull from the Gateway
The Central Tower of the Great Pagoda
Carved wood sculpture, Goddess, Javanese (?)
One of seven paintings of unidentified Muslim buildings in South India.