Summary
Alternative Names: Poonah Figure, Poona Figure
This clay figure of a Nautch girl was made in Pune, India. It was exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880, as part of a group of figures representing various castes, occupations and religious sects in India. Pune sent exhibits to the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition as part of the British India Court. It was gifted to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) by the India Commission of the Melbourne International Exhibition, 1880-81. The NGV Stockbook records identify the figure as a 'Nautch Girl'. Nautch is a popular dance style from the North of India. It is performed by young girls called 'Nautch Girls'.
Physical Description
Figure of a woman on a wooden base. The base is painted brown turned wood. A paper label is glued to the base. The figure is plaster/composition modeled over wooden dowels, it is painted with a terracotta skin tone and dressed in fabric. The figure's garments consist of a red blouse, a scarf of silver and gold thread wrapped around her waist and shoulders, and red trousers. The object is damaged and dirty and the textiles are dirty and faded.
More Information
-
Collection Names
-
Collecting Areas
-
Acquisition Information
Donation (Probable) from Exhibition: 1880 International, Melbourne, 1880
-
Place & Date Made
Pune, Maharashtra, India, circa 1880
NGV Stockbook gives date range. -
Inscriptions
Printed in black ink on a paper label glued to the base: 160
-
Classification
Public events, Melbourne international exhibition 1880, Exhibition heritage
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Overall Dimensions
9 cm (Width), 16 cm (Height)
-
Maximum dimensions
100 mm (Width), 185 mm (Height)
Measurement From Conservation. Height measurements includes base.
-
Keywords