Artwork
Aswattham and Shiva
Aswattham and Shiva is a paint painting by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work, created in 1890, is a watercolor combined with tin alloy applied to cardboard.
About this work
Overview
The work, created in 1890, is a watercolor combined with tin alloy applied to cardboard. It portrays a mythological confrontation in which Ashwatthama assaults Shiva using a tree branch, set against a loosely rendered natural backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features two standing figures in an outdoor setting. Ashwatthama, on the left, bears a trident and wears a simple yellow skirt patterned in black, while Shiva, on the right, is adorned in vivid, layered garments of red, purple, and gold, crowned and carrying a bow across the shoulder. The scene captures a moment of divine conflict.
Technique & Style
Executed with bright watercolor washes and flat tin alloy accents, the painting employs loose brushwork and bold outlines that convey immediacy. The background consists of sketchy tree forms and a pale sky, emphasizing the dynamic posture of the characters and giving the piece a sketch‑like vitality.
History & Provenance
The artwork dates to the late nineteenth century, a period when Indian mythological subjects were frequently rendered for both local and colonial audiences. Its material choice—cardboard as support—reflects a modest production context, though the use of tin alloy adds a decorative element uncommon in purely watercolor works of the time.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
