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Sacred Art & Iconography

Bhima and King Virata (Victoria and Albert Museum, IS.38-1959)

Hindu Art

A Kalighat painting titled "Bhima and King Virata," in watercolour and tin alloy on paper, made in Kolkata around 1890 by an unnamed artist of the Kalighat bazaar tradition. It shows an episode from the Mahabharata's Virata Parva, the Pandava Bhima serving King Virata as a palace cook during the Pandavas' year of exile in disguise. Held today by the Victoria and Albert Museum under accession IS.38-1959, given by R. W. Skelton in 1959.

Facts
Physical Form
Medium
Kalighat painting, watercolour and tin alloy on paper, Kolkata, ca. 1890, Victoria and Albert Museum IS.38-1959 1
Classification
Object Type
Painting 1
Medium (class)
Painting (general) 1
Connections

Associated With

Bhima, Figures

This source names Bhima directly: "A Kalighat painting titled "Bhima and King Virata," in watercolour and tin alloy on paper, made in Kolkata around 1890 by an unnamed artist of the Kalighat bazaar tradition."

Source Bhima and King Virata, accession IS.38-1959 (Victoria and Albert Museum)
Kolkata, Cities

This source names Kolkata directly: "and tin alloy on paper, made in Kolkata around 1890 by an unnamed artist of the Kalighat bazaar tradition."

Source Bhima and King Virata, accession IS.38-1959 (Victoria and Albert Museum)
The Pandavas, Figures

This source names The Pandavas directly: "King Virata as a palace cook during the Pandavas' year of exile in disguise."

Source Bhima and King Virata, accession IS.38-1959 (Victoria and Albert Museum)

Belongs to Tradition

Hinduism, Religions
Source Bhima and King Virata, accession IS.38-1959 (Victoria and Albert Museum)

Depicts

King Virata, Figures

The V&A's own title for this painting names the subject outright, "King Virata," a direct identification rather than a bare thematic tag.

Source Bhima and King Virata, accession IS.38-1959 (Victoria and Albert Museum)

Originated In

Bengal, Regions
Source Victoria and Albert Museum Collections API: V&A object record O432373
Sources
1. Bhima and King Virata, accession IS.38-1959 (Victoria and Albert Museum)
Victoria and Albert Museum
  • accession IS.38-1959
  • catalogue record, medium/object-type description
    A Kalighat painting titled "Bhima and King Virata," in watercolour and tin alloy on paper, made in Kolkata around 1890 by an unnamed artist of the Kalighat bazaar tradition.
View the Source
Kalighat Painting, Wikipedia
WikipediaIn Group: Kalighat Painting, own entity-description: "A Kalighat painting"View the Source
Victoria and Albert Museum Collections API: V&A object record O432373
Victoria and Albert Museum Collections APIOriginated In: Bengal, placesOfOrigin
Quote, Originated In: Bengal, placesOfOrigin
"text": "Kolkata"
View the Source
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