Nandalal had firm belief that for the creation of art an intimate understanding of the nature and its ways is imperative. The range of Nandalal's artistic expression is seen in the changing Indian landscapes, his varied images of nature and the portrayal of people and places. The above postcard depicts two human figures on a tranquil seashore in pen and ink. The sea wave is seen veeringly, dividing the pictorial space in two halves. Nandalal Bose in his article, 'The Discipline of Art', has written- "The great globe, the forms in and outside the mind, the Prana, life in which all this universe of motion moves and from which also it proceeds I try to see the rhythm of life in every form common and uncommon. In other words, previously I sought for divinity only in the image of the gods and goddesses, now I try to find it in 'sky, water and mountains'." Nandalal is known to have fervently sketched on postcard sized papers mostly using pen and ink, 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 is well reflected in the multiple postcards in the collection of the museum which portray his visual experiences of mostly nature and rural life and also of his inner urge to constantly innovate. This sketch was signed '6.57' in Bengali at the top left corner of the painting with pen. The painting also has an inscription in Bengali which is indecipherable.
- Identifier
- ngma-09281
- 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
- 13.7 x 8.7 cm
- Published in
- India
- Type
- Painting
