Who painted King Dasaratha and Sumantra?

King Dasaratha and Sumantra was painted by Unknown in 1890.

Where can I see King Dasaratha and Sumantra?

King Dasaratha and Sumantra is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is King Dasaratha and Sumantra?

King Dasaratha and Sumantra is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

King Dasaratha and Sumantra

Unknown , 1890

King Dasaratha and Sumantra 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. Created circa 1890, this work combines watercolour with tin alloy on paper.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1890, this work combines watercolour with tin alloy on paper. It portrays King Dasaratha seated in a purple costume and turban, while a standing figure, Sumantra, wears a blue top with red and black stripes and red trousers. Both figures look upward, their gestures suggesting a moment of dialogue or revelation.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents the legendary king of the Ramayana alongside his minister, Sumantra, a scene drawn from Hindu mythology. By focusing on their interaction, the painting emphasizes themes of authority, counsel, and the moral dilemmas that arise in the epic narrative.

Technique & Style

Executed in the Kalighat tradition, the piece employs bright pigments and a simplified, almost schematic rendering of forms. The brushwork is swift, lending a spontaneous quality that merges aspects of Impressionist lightness with a realist attention to costume detail.

History & Provenance

Kalighat painters emerged in the early nineteenth century, catering to a growing urban audience in colonial Calcutta. This painting reflects that lineage, where artists blended indigenous mythological subjects with the visual language shaped by the city's colonial context.

Context

During the 1830s onward, Bengali artists began to depict familiar religious stories while subtly commenting on contemporary social and political conditions. The vivid coloration and directness of the figures echo the popular prints that circulated among the city's diverse populace.