Durga, Hanuman and Shiva

Executed in watercolour with bold brushwork, the piece features vibrant, expressive colors (notably pink, green, yellow, orange, and dark tones) that animate the composition. The stylized, flattened forms and the emphasis on symbolic attributes reflect the influence of traditional Indian folk or religious art practices prevalent in Upper India and Bengal during the 19th century.

Created in 1850, this painting was later included in an extensive album of 196 Indian artworks (prints, paintings, drawings) compiled by J. Lockwood Kipling between 1865 and 1893. The album, largely comprising lithographs from Upper Indian and Bengali fairs and bazaars, was donated to the museum by Rudyard Kipling, J. Lockwood's son, in 1917.

This work reflects the rich religious and artistic traditions of 19th-century India, where such depictions of deities would have been popular in religious and market contexts. Its inclusion in an album alongside other diverse artworks highlights the interest of British collectors like J. Lockwood Kipling in documenting Indian cultural practices during the colonial era.

Now part of a museum collection (implicitly suggested to be similar to the Victoria and Albert Museum, given the reference), this painting contributes to the understanding and appreciation of Indian religious art and the historical exchange of cultural artifacts between India and Britain during the 19th century.