Balarama and Krishna at Vrindavan

Unidentified Artist (Early Bengal School)

A large number of anonymous oil paintings on religious and mythological themes began to emerge in Bengal during the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century, originating from the French colony of Chandernagore and the Dutch colony of Chinsurah. Often referred to as French or Dutch Bengal oils, these works also came from other areas such as the Chitpur and Garanhata localities of Calcutta, and collectively came to be known as Early Bengal Oils. This tradition of early Bengal oil painting predominantly featured religious themes and was typically commissioned by wealthy patrons who could afford to place such works in their domestic temple shrines. The presence of soot on many of these paintings suggests they were actively worshipped. Patrons ranged from the affluent Bengali bhadralok to Marwaris—distinctions that are often visible in the dress of the figures depicted.