Kali, the wrathful protector (Shri Shri Kali) - G. C. Dass

A late nineteenth-century lithograph of the goddess Kali, produced in Calcutta, featuring traditional religious iconography and hand-applied colour.

This lithograph by G. C. Dass represents the goddess Kali, a central figure in Hindu iconography. Produced in late nineteenth-century Calcutta, the work reflects the transition from traditional hand-painted Kalighat scrolls to mass-produced lithographic prints. These prints were sold to pilgrims and devotees visiting the Kalighat temple, providing an accessible form of religious art for the public.

The composition follows established iconographic conventions. Kali is depicted with her characteristic dark complexion, protruding tongue, and multiple arms. She holds a severed head and a curved blade, symbols of her role in destroying ignorance and ego. A garland of human heads adorns her neck, while her third eye is visible on her forehead. The figure is framed by an architectural archway, a common device in Kalighat prints to suggest a shrine or temple setting. The use of stippling and bold, flat colour areas is typical of the lithographic techniques employed by Calcutta presses during this period.

Unlike the earlier, fluid brushwork of the Kalighat patuas, this print exhibits the more rigid, mechanical lines associated with the lithographic stone. The hand-applied colour, primarily in shades of red, adds a layer of warmth to the monochromatic printed base. The text at the bottom identifies the artist and the location of the press at Nepal Bhutta Charlees Lane, Calcutta. This print serves as a record of the commercialisation of religious imagery in colonial India, where traditional motifs were adapted for a wider audience through modern printing technology. The work remains a significant example of the intersection between devotional practice and the burgeoning print culture of the late nineteenth century.