Kalighat school

(India circa 1830–1930)

Title

A five-faced Shiva

Other titles:

The five-faced Mahadev
Siva or Punchanan the Destroyer of the world

Alternative title:

Panchanan/Panchamukhashiva

Place of origin

Kalighat → Kolkata (Calcutta) → West Bengal → India

Period

British Raj 1858 - 1947 → India

Year

late 19th century

Media categories

Painting, Watercolour

Materials used

watercolour with silver paint on paper

Dimensions

43.8 x 27.2 cm (irreg.)

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Purchased 1959

Accession number

EP6.1959

Location

Not on display

Further information

This painting of Shiva is of special interest as the composition and stylisation are particularly imaginative and skilful. The great god Shiva is depicted with four arms, five faces and seven eyes, the multiplicity of eyes alluding to the deity's omniscience.

The Asian Collections, AGNSW, 2003, pg.48.

Bibliography (3)

Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales 2003, 'Folk Paintings and Souvenir Pictures', Domain, 2003, 48-49 (colour illus.). The colour illus. on page 49 is a detail of this work.

Haema Sivanesan, Indian Painting 2001, 'Indian Painting', verso of poster., Sydney, 2001. cat.no. 5.2

Jill Sykes, Look Jul 2010, 'Artworks from India under the British Raj...', pg.30, Newtown, Jul 2010, 30 (colour illus.).

Exhibition history (3)

Unknown, David Jones Gallery 1959, David Jones' Art Gallery, Sydney, Sydney, Jul 1959–Jul 1959

Indian Painting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 06 Apr 2001–11 Jun 2001

Indian Folk Paintings and Textiles, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 29 May 2004–04 Jul 2004