Goddess Kamalatmika
ca. 1880–85
Medium
Lithograph, printed in black with hand-coloring in watercolor and selectively applied glaze
Dimensions
Sheet: 16 x 12 in. (40.7 x 30.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture
West Bengal, Calcutta
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The Kipper Family Foundation Gift, 2021
Accession Number
2021.194
Art Historical Context
This lithograph from around 1880–85 captures the divine presence Goddess Kamalatmika through innovative printmaking techniques of The Hindu Art Studio in Calcutta. Created during a period when Bengal was a hub of artistic experimentation under British colonial influence, the work combines the precision of lithography with delicate hand-applied watercolor and glaze. This hybrid approach allowed studios to produce vibrant devotional images at scale while preserving the warmth and individuality of traditional painting. The medium reflects broader cultural shifts in late-19th-century West Bengal,...