Artwork
Purnavasi

Purnavasi 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.
About this work
Overview
Purnavasi is a mixed-media painting on cardboard, combining watercolour and tin alloy. It depicts a four-armed female figure, identified with the full moon, Purnavasi, holding symbolic objects.
Subject & Meaning
The four-armed figure embodies Purnavasi, associated with the full moon. Her attributes—a water vessel, tray, and goad—convey symbolic meanings, though specific interpretations are not detailed in available information.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour and tin alloy on cardboard, the painting features flat colors, minimal shading, and bold outlines, characteristic of the Kalighat style, popular in India during this period.
History & Provenance
The artwork was showcased in the 1971 *Tantra* exhibition at London's Hayward Gallery, curated by Philip S. Rawson and organized by the Arts Council of Great Britain. Provenance details beyond this exhibition are not provided.
Artist & collection

















