Artwork
Matsya
Matsya 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
Created in 1885, this work portrays Matsya, the fish‑form avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. Executed in opaque watercolor on paper, the composition centers a blue‑skinned, four‑armed figure standing atop a large fish, set against a muted blue‑gray backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The central deity is shown with long black hair and dressed in vivid red and yellow garments, each of the four arms bearing a distinct attribute. The fish beneath the figure references the mythic flood narrative, linking the god to water and renewal.
Technique & Style
The painting employs opaque watercolor, a medium that allows solid blocks of color and crisp outlines. Its visual language combines straightforward, folk‑art motifs with elements of traditional Indian iconography, evident in the bold palette and simplified forms.
History & Provenance
The piece entered the present collection through the estate of Miss M. Steele, having been bequeathed from her mother’s holdings. Its acquisition reflects the late‑19th‑century interest in Indian devotional imagery among Western collectors.
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
