Nandalal is known to have fervently sketched on postcard sized papers mostly using ink and brush, recording his surroundings. His small sketches vastly vary in detailing, some drawn quickly with just a few lines, others executed with more elaborate characteristics from an analytical perspective. His search for newer forms of expression and his inner urge to constantly innovate is well reflected in the multiple postcards in the collection of the museum which portray the artist's visual experiences of flora fauna, the people, their attires, life in rural villages, the landscapes, etc. Dinkar Kowshik in his article 'Drawings and Sketches of Nandalal in the book, "Nandalal Bose - A collection of Essays" has written of Nandalal's sketches and drawings - "Much of his (Nandalal) strength and sensitive wealth finds expression in the spontaneity of his sketches." This particular sketch illustrates a woman with facial impairment carrying on her head a basket with cow dung cakes, which is often used as fuel for cooking and other purposes. The drawing is inscribed in Bengali identifying the cow dung cakes. Nandalal explored a wide range of artistic traditions to arrive at his unique visual language and has left behind a large corpus of works in a variety of styles, expressions and techniques. He studied the art practices and traditions not only of India but also those of other nations and re-produced them in his environs in Santiniketan. His intent being to understand and assimilate the various artistic elements involved for excelling in his domain and which also enriched his own visual vocabulary. This sketch was signed and dated 'Nando, 18.4.55' in Bengali along the right margin of the painting in brush. The painting also has an inscription in Bengali.
- Identifier
- ngma-09196
- Material
- Pen, Ink, Postcard
- Note
- Nandalal Bose, popularly known as the Master Moshai, was born on December 3rd, 1882 in Kharagpur, Monghyr District, Bihar. A disciple of Abanindranath Tagore, he graduated from Government School of Art, Calcutta in 1910. Nandalal was fascinated by the potential of folk art and indigenous modes of expression and inculcated them in his works although stylising them in a unique representation for depiction and narration of local life. His explorative temperament with the artistic materials allowed him to create a vast body of work with printmaking techniques as lithography, linoleum prints and Sino- Japanese techniques while remaining faithful to his narrative subject: India's environment and its ethos. Nandalal Bose's art conjures newness unbound but still flushed with the memories of yesterday. Inspired by Far Eastern sensibilities that celebrate the traditional, the genius of his art's lies in the interplay of sensual silhouettes and his powerful rendering of contemporary themes with the traditions, customs and sensibilities of Indian heritage. It is this intermingling that invigorates his works and captures the minds of his viewers. He began his artistic career in the fervour of Swadeshi movement, rejecting western colonial norms of art and taking inspirations from the ancient murals of Ajanta and Bagh caves as well as Mughal miniatures. In 1919, Nandalal Bose accepted Rabindranath Tagore's invitation to become the Principal of the newly established art school Kala Bhavan at Visvabharati University in Santiniketan. He travelled in and out of India including places like Burma, China, Japan, Malaysia, Java and Sri Lanka seeking artistic stimulus from observing different cultural traditions. He also painted a series of posters for the Indian National Congress at Haripura in February 1938. The range of Nandalal's artistic expressions is seen in his various landscapes with human figures, his varied images of nature and the Santiniketan Murals. His works reflect the changing landscape, portraying people and places at a time when modern India's cultural development was at its threshold. Nandalal Bose died on April 16th, 1966 in Santiniketan, West Bengal. He won several accolades including the Padma Vibhushan by the President of India in 1953. He was awarded with an honorary Doctorate in Letters (D. Litt.) from Banaras Hindu University in 1950 and Calcutta University in 1957. The NGMA has over 6800 of his works in his collection.
- Pages
- 8.9 x 14.1 cm
- Published in
- India
- Type
- Painting
