Object Title:
Benares
Date:
1914
Artist:
Charles W. Bartlett
Active:
British, 1860 - 1940
Medium:
Watercolor over graphite on paper
Dimensions:
11 5/8 x 8 5/8 in. (29.5 x 21.9 cm)
Credit Line:
Gift of Charles W. Bartlett, 1934 (10268)
Object Number:
10268
Description:
Like the monumental oil painting of Varanasi (Benares) also on display in this gallery, Bartlett here shows the sacred bathing ghats for which the city is most famous. However, while the oil painting shows a busy scene of bathers gathered for their daily ritual ablutions, Bartlett chose in this watercolor to depict a quiet scene that allowed him to focus on the architectural interest of the ghats and their nearby buildings. Also, the oil painting was done after Bartlett had moved to Hawaii, while this small watercolor was completed during his travels in India. (2009)
