Artwork
Hari-Hara
Hari-Hara is a paint painting by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This opaque watercolour painting on paper, created in 1885, represents Hari-Hara, a composite deity of Vishnu and Shiva from Hindu mythology.
Subject & Meaning
The figure, depicted with blue skin and four arms, embodies the fusion of Vishnu (associated with the flute) and Shiva (linked to the drum). The peacock-feathered crown and necklace of white dots further reinforce its divine, hybrid nature.
Technique & Style
Characteristic of the Kalighat tradition, the painting features bold, vibrant colors (notably the bright blue skin) against a simple yellow background, with minimal detailing in the small, peripheral figures.
History & Provenance
Acquired by the museum in 1950 from Miss M. Steele, the piece originated from a collection possibly assembled by her grandmother, who resided in India, and later inherited by Steele’s mother, a Cambridge Sanskrit scholar in 1894.
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
