Who painted Shiva Panchanana?

Shiva Panchanana was painted by Unknown in 1855.

Where can I see Shiva Panchanana?

Shiva Panchanana is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Shiva Panchanana?

Shiva Panchanana is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Shiva Panchanana

Unknown , 1855

Shiva Panchanana is a paint painting by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The composition features bold, flat colors (red, blue, yellow) with black outlines, eschewing realistic shading in favor of a pattern-like quality.

Shiva Panchanana is a 19th-century Indian painting on paper, executed in opaque watercolour and tin alloy in 1855. The work depicts the five-headed manifestation of the Hindu deity Shiva, characterized by a blue-skinned figure with four arms, three eyes, and distinctive attributes. The composition features bold, flat colors (red, blue, yellow) with black outlines, eschewing realistic shading in favor of a pattern-like quality.

Subject & Meaning

The painting represents Shiva in his Panchanana form, signified by five heads (though only one is visible in this frontal depiction). Attributes include a drum, a small creature, and specific hand gestures (mudras), conveying the deity's multifaceted role. The crown adorned with birds and a bead necklace further emphasize Shiva's divine and mystical aspects.

Technique & Style

The artist employed opaque watercolour and tin alloy on paper, achieving vibrant, non-gradated colors. The style is marked by flat, two-dimensional forms, bold black outlines, and the absence of chiaroscuro, distinguishing it from Western realist traditions and aligning with indigenous Indian artistic practices of the time.

History & Provenance

Originally part of a diverse album of 196 works (prints, paintings, drawings) compiled by J. Lockwood Kipling (Principal, Mayo School of Art, Lahore) between 1865 and 1893, the painting was later donated to the museum in 1917 by his son, the writer Rudyard Kipling.

Context

The artwork was likely produced for popular devotional or market use, given the album's contents (including lithographs sold in Upper India and Bengal's fairs and markets). Its creation reflects the religious and artistic practices prevalent in 19th-century India.