The
Bengal School of Painting was a style and approach of art which flourished in
India during the British Raj in the early part of the 20th century. The art was
associated to Indian nationalism, at the same time; it was supported and
promoted by British arts administrators as well. Just like the richness of the
culture of Bengal, Bengal school of painting is affluent and vibrant. The
colors and graceful beauty of this painting school are splashed in the piece of
writing that follows.
History
of Bengal School of Painting
The
Bengal school came up as an avant garde and nationalist movement acting in
response against the academic art styles that were previously promoted in
India, both by Indian artists and in British art schools. Following the impact
of Indian religious ideas in the West, the British art teacher Ernest Binfield
Havell tried to improve the teaching methods at the Calcutta School of Art by
motivating students to try to be like Mughal miniatures. This resulted in
controversy. Students went on a strike; complaints from the local press started
to come up including nationalists who found it to be a retrogressive move.
Havell was fully supported by the artist Abanindranath Tagore, nephew of the
poet Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore painted scores of works that were influenced
by Mughal art. Abanindranath Tagore and Havell believed that the former’s style
is an expression of distinct spiritual qualities of India, as contrasting to
the materialism of the Western countries. Tagore's best ever known painting,
Bharat Mata (Mother India), illustrated a young woman, who is portrayed with
four arms in the manner of Hindu deities, carrying objects that are symbolic of
India's national ambitions. Later, Tagore made efforts to develop links with
Japanese artists as part of a goal to build a pan-Asianist model of art.
When
modernist ideas spread in the second decade of last century, the influence of
Bengal school of painting declined.
Characteristic
Features of Bengal School of Painting
Bengal
School of painting has the following characteristics-
·
The essence of Ajanta is clearly noticeable in
Bengal paintings. The Bengal painters have made best possible efforts to bring
in the rhythm, linear gracefulness and poise of Ajanta in their painting.
·
The paintings were simple and standard.
·
Figures were refined and elegant without any
hardness.
·
Attractive color scheme technique has been used
with no bright colors to bring synchronization wash.
·
The paintings have an impact of Mughal and
Rajasthani School.
·
The paintings exhibited dexterously exposed
light and shade with no hardness.
Artists
of Bengal School of Painting
Bengal
still houses some of the most eminent and excellent artists of modern India.
Among the best artists of Bengal School of painting, the most popular artists
of this day Bengal are Nirmal Dutta, Ganesh Pyne, Manishi Dey, Jahar Dasgupta,
Devajyoti Ray, Nilima Dutta, Sudip Roy and Paresh Maiti and Bikash
Bhattacharje. Pradosh Dasgupta, Chittoprosad Bhattacharya and Subrata Kundu are
other notable painters of this school. Sanat Chatterjee is amongst the last
living legendary pioneer of Bengal School of art.
Bengal
School of Painting is elegant and lively. Its grace and glamour has given new
heights to the Indian painting.
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