Figure Studies
Man Seated in a European Chair Smoking a Margila Pipe
Unknown Artist
This 19th-century Kalighat painting features a man in repose, combining traditional Indian motifs with Victorian-era influences.
Click to zoom
English Babu Holding a Hookah
Unknown Artist
1890 · Medium Not Listed
A striking Kalighat watercolor from 19th-century Calcutta featuring a stylishly dressed 'Babu' in a seated pose.
Unavailable
Frame size
Frame color
Mount
Paper type
Glaze
Made to order in ~2 business days · Free U.S. standard shipping (typically 5–8 business days after dispatch)
Where it works
A substantial, grounding work with softened warm notes — anchors the wall with steady presence.
- Often works in
- Living Room · Study · Office
- Placement
- Works well in taller wall spaces with room around it
- Walls
- Reads strongest when the wall gives it contrast
- Color notes
- Warm beige, Aged gold, Olive green
About the piece
This 19th-century Kalighat painting from Calcutta captures an 'English Babu'—a social class of Indian clerks—seated with a tall hookah. Rendered in the school's signature style with bold outlines and vibrant watercolor washes, the piece reflects the unique cultural fusion of Victorian and traditional Indian influences prevalent in the region at the time.
More like this
