Asit Kumar Haldar was a versatile artist worked int o mediums, oil, tempera, watercolours and a unique technique that he developed called 'lacit'- lacquered paintings on wood. He was commissioned by the Indian Society of London to copy the paintings of Ajanta caves, where he got inspired by fresco's technique and narration of the stories of Buddha's life and Jataka's tale. Haldar incorporated the quality and technique of Ajanta murals in to his works to achieve life-like effect and idealism in his paintings. The inscription mentions, signed 'Asit' in Bengali at the bottom-right corner of the sketch.
- Identifier
- ngma-00346
- Material
- Pencil, Paper
- Note
- An accomplished painter and Sculptor, Asit Kumar Haldar (1890-1964), worked with equal ease in oil, tempera, watercolours and a special technique that he developed called 'lacit'-lacquered painting on wood. His versatility in working in diverse mediums earned him praise and a place of reputation in the heart of his master, Abanindranath Tagore. Asit Kumar Haldar was born in Jorasanko and was a grand-nephew of Rabindranath Tagore. Both his father and grandfather were artists in their own rights. From an early age he showed an aptitude and inclination for drawing and joined the Government Art School in Calcutta when he was still a young boy in 1906. Asit Kumar Haldar and a number of other students were a part of the project sponsored by the Indian Society, London that was given the task of copying the frescoes in Ajanta under the guidance of Mrs Herringham. The artist visited the caves twice. Observing the frescoes up close the artist grasped the elements of the mural painting and narration of the episodes and was quick to include these elements in his art practices. The artist picked themes from the rich cultural heritage, the sacred scriptures, and episodes from Mahabharata, notable events in Indian history made him popular with the common people. The artist also made a complete series on the life of Buddha and the poems of Omar Khayyam. The artist taught at the Government Art College and later moved to Santiniketan when Kala Bhavana was founded. His creative pursuits were not confined to painting alone as he was keenly interested in poetry, composing songs and contributing his essays on art in the leading journal and publications of the time. He also did translations of Sanskrit classics and was the first Indian to be elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London.
- Pages
- 11.5 x 21.5 cm
- Published in
- India
- Type
- Painting
