{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O106231"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106231/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GT2586/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GT2586/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GT2586","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O106231","accessionNumber":"IS.32-1962","objectType":"Painting","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The scene depicts three women performing propitiatory and purificatory rites by the river bank. An old woman wrapped in 'namabali' or prayer-shawl (with Bengali inscriptions on it), two younger women, one in a white sari and one in an orange sari are seen at their prayers and ablutions by the Ganges in fading light. A shadowy 'pipal' tree on the river bank hints at the lunar eclipse. The modelling of the torso of the semi-nude figure shows the influence of Ajanta, while the rippling waves and clusters of 'pipal' leaves shown in relief against a formless background recall Far Eastern models.\r\n\r\nMukul Dey (1895) studied under Abanindranath Tagore, the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of art, as well as in Japan, the United States and England. Like several other 'neo-Bengal' artists he spent time making copies of the Ajanta cave-paintings, and later wrote 'My Pilgrimages to Ajanta and Bagh' (London, 1925).","physicalDescription":"Painting, gouache on canvas. The scene depicts three women performing propitiatory and purificatory rites by the river bank. An old widow wrapped in <i>namabali</i> or prayer-shawl (with Bengali inscriptions on it), a younger widow as well as a married woman are seen at their prayers and ablutions by the Ganges in fading light. A shadowy pipal tree on the river bank hints at the lunar eclipse. The ripples of waves and the silhouette of leaves recall a Far Eastern influence.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Dey, Mukul","id":"A13685"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in gouache on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2013GT2586"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"PO013","id":"THES403394"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT33618"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"India","id":"x29790"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Bengal","id":"x30825"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably: Neo-Bengal School"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1922","earliest":"1922-01-01","latest":"1922-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"134","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"77.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"150.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"94.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"With frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signature on bottom right corner in red ink Japanese characters. Dated 1922.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"RF: 62/1046. A bequest of Mrs E.K.M. Druce.","historicalContext":"Mukul Dey (1895) studied under Abanindranath Tagore, the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of art, as well as in Japan, the United States and England. Like several other 'neo-Bengal' artists he spent time making copies of the Ajanta cave-paintings, and later wrote 'My Pilgrimages to Ajanta and Bagh' (London, 1925).","briefDescription":"Painting, women offering worship at the Ganges, by Mukul Dey, painting, gouache on canvas, India, Neo-Bengal School, 1922","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) :","id":"AUTH339757"},"details":"p.55","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"An etching of the same subject my Mukul Dey is published in The Making of a New 'Indian'Art by Tapati Guha-Thakurta, 1992. pg.300. The etching is titled 'Tarpan', Women bathing in the river during a lunar eclipse. The etching is itself based on a water colour, c.1917-18. "}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Three women performing propitiatory and purificatory rites by the river bank.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.32-1962"],"accessionNumberNum":"32","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1962,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-28","recordCreationDate":"2004-10-12","availableToBook":true}}