Posted on: 20 February 2013

A head with a background of mountains and palm trees.

Varanasi, India

Date: ca.1830

Watercolour on card, for use with mica

Copyright: © V&A Images


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freakiest indian painting i ever saw

sky looks like water - maybe he's in Ganga?

It's rather like a 19th-century René Magritte painting, but I think it's actually a 'costume card' from North India. The floating head could be juxtaposed with various costumes painted on mica overlays.

...vou levar. thanks

This is a part of a set of mica paintings where various costumes can be superimposed on to the head and background, I have a set.

Very strange...

Makes me ask why is it so, what does it mean

maybe incomplete?