colour on paper, the god depicted in characteristic manner astride a peacock, etiquette attached to the verso, 45.7 x 27.9cm.

Provenance: Collection of Robert Skelton, O.B.E. (1929-2022)

Inscription: Skelton's collectors label applied verso 'KARTIKEYA astride the Peacock. By Kali Charan Ghosh (1844-1930). Kalighat, c. 1900 (Series 18). Purchase at Kalighat from the artist's family in 1932. From the W. G. Archer Collection, given 1952.'

Skelton's introduction, and his lifelong career in that field, came about as a result of the intercession of William Archer, then Keeper of the Indian Section of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This must be amongst the earliest of Skelton's Indian works of art having only been at the museum for two years when it was given to him. Indeed, Skelton records it in his incomplete record of his collection as item number 4, coming into his possession on 18th February 1952. This was the same year in which Archer gave other works by Kali Charan Ghosh, the brother of Nibaran Chandra Ghosh, to the Victoria and Albert Museum from his own collection, also acquired directly from the artist earlier in the century (see IS.38-1952, IS.40-1952 and IS.37-1952).