The Bengal school of Painting

Q.1- “The Bengal School gave Indian art an identity and acceptance which was lost due to
foreign invasions and the British rule. Mass support for artists work united common
people towards our freedom movement.” How did the origin and development of Bengal
School create a benchmark in the formation of Indian Art. What gave it a distinctive and
unique identity?
Choose and describe any one painting from the Bengal School (from your syllabus) which
depicts a real-life situation consisting of sadness, pain & agony.
Support your answer through the points mentioned below:
 Origin and Development of Bengal School
 Name of Painting and its Artist
 Medium and Technique of the Painting
 Compositional Arrangement and Subject Matter
Ans.1. Origin: Indian art stood at the crossroad after the decline of Mughal Empire, and the
beginning of the British colonial rule after the mutiny of 1857. It was at this juncture that
some great painters like Raja Ravi Varma (Modern art), Abanindranath Tagore,
Gagnendranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, Jamini Roy and ably supported
by E.B. Havell, the then principal of Government Art School at Calcutta were making
endeavor to revive self respect for Indian creative art. He sold off the specimens of
European paintings and plaster cast of Western antiquities from the school’s art gallery in
1904 and replaced them by Indian paintings. He encouraged Abanindranath to study
Mughal and Rajput paintins and appointed him as Vice-principal of the Art School. From two
visiting Japanese artists, he learnt their wash technique and synthesized it with European
water colour technique to create a novel technique which came to be known as ‘Wash’
technique. Then Tempera mixed with Wash (Wash with Tempera) became the hallmark of
Bengal School and marked the departure from the traditional tempera method.
Development: Soon after under their joint effort and patronage from Rabindranath, Dr. A.
K. Kumarswami, Gagnendranath, Sister Nivedita and many other Art lovers gave birth to the
‘Society of Oriental Art’ in 1907. Their first major success was to send a group of artists like
Nandlal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar, Samnendranath Gupta to copy the painting of Ajanta &
Bagh caves. They worked with Lady Hrrringham of Indian Society of London. The paintings
which were published and were widely acclaimed in the European journals and established
the antiquity and greatness of ancient Indian Painting. This enthused the Indian artists to
tern for inspiration to true native tradition. They created a short of new renaissance under
the guidance and leadership of Abanindranath Tagore. This rebirth of Indian art spread to
every part of the country like Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Lucknow, Jaipur and Hyderabad from
Bengal.
The painting “Journey’s end” from the Bengal School, which depicts a real-life situation
consisting of sadness, pain & agony.

Title: Journey’s end Painter- Abanindranath Tagore Period-

Modern
Medium- Water colour on Paper Technique- Wash with Tempera Circa:
1937 A.D.
Collection: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
Subject-matter and Composition: In this painting the artist has shown, a massive load on
the camel’s back shows the greed of the master in exploiting the slaves to their last breath.
The weight he has been carrying all his life for his master is still intact on his back so that it is
not damaged. He has yet not given up hope of standing once more to deliver the goods to
his master which he is given to carry. He is on his knees with his back legs upright and his
head slightly raised as if he would make another attempt to get up. The pain and suffering
of a dump beast of burden moved the painter so much that the pain he felt can be clearly
seen in the half open eye of the beast. No one is there to watch the thin stream of blood
oozing out of its mouth. His life’s journey is about to come to an end with the end of the
day. The painting is painted in the new technique which he evolved with the fusion of
tempera technique of miniature painting and wash (the Japanese technique). Red Brown
and yellow wash of colours give the background and the sky is filled with the diffused light
of sunset. The foreground only is painted in the darker tones of the same colour to intensify
the sense of pain. There is a tint of blue where the animal is about to collapse. The Painting
is suffused with a romantic sentiment yet it evokes pity and sympathy from the viewers.
The painting ‘journey’s end’ was first published in the Bengali magazine ‘Prabasi’ and drew
acclaim from the viewers as a great piece of art.

Q.2. Describe the Introduction, origin, development & conclusion of the Bengal school of
Paintings.

Ans.1. Introduction: In the later part of the 19th century the protected colonial rule and
continued propaganda of so called British critics and painters made the people believe that
there was no merit to Indian traditional Art and no heritage. The English educated Indian
people, who had come to dominate society, came to believe it, and tend to measure success
by European standard. The feudal rulers of India and their courts were completely swept by
English culture and joined degrading Indian culture. The perversity and Victorian prudery
reached such a state that in some of the princely states the picture of lord Shiva was painted
wearing European dress and Lord Krishna driving a car (phaeton) with friends. Along with
the Europeans, English educated Indians too, started thinking that there was nothing but
eroticism in Indian art. By the end of the century, the smaller feudal states where art
survived for sometime were annexed one by one by the British rulers. Indian painting
almost a dead end. At this point of our identity crisis, there came some highly gifted artists
who tried in their own way to give a sense of direction to the art movement of the country
and created confidence in the traditional values and rich heritage of Indian Art and made
the Indians conscious of the fact. Their effort fostered self respect among the Indians for
creative output.

The Bengal school painting was inspired from Ajanta and Bagh, Persian and Mughal,
Rajasthani and Pahari miniatures and shilpshastra. Under the influence of Principal E.B.
havell and Abanindranath, Indian Artists looked back at the traditional painting of Indian
with respect and got themselves separated from the blind copying of the lifeless western
realism (company school). Thus was born the Bengal school which is more a style than a
regional development, is the first school representing important art movement in Modern
India.
Origin: Indian art stood at the crossroad after the decline of Mughal Empire, and the
beginning of the British colonial rule after the mutiny of 1857. It was at this juncture that
some great painters like Raja Ravi Varma (Modern art), Abanindranath Tagore,
Gagnendranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, Jamini Roy and ably supported
by E.B. Havell, the then principal of Government Art School at Calcutta were making
endeavor to revive self respect for Indian creative art. He sold off the specimens of
European paintings and plaster cast of Western antiquities from the school’s art gallery in
1904 and replaced them by Indian paintings. He encouraged Abanindranath to study
Mughal and Rajput paintins and appointed him as Vice-principal of the Art School. From two
visiting Japanese artists, he learnt their wash technique and synthesized it with European
water colour technique to create a novel technique which came to be known as ‘Wash’
technique. Then Tempera mixed with Wash (Wash with Tempera) became the hallmark of
Bengal School and marked the departure from the traditional tempera method.

Development: Soon after under their joint effort and patronage from Rabindranath, Dr. A.
K. Kumarswami, Gagnendranath, Sister Nivedita and many other Art lovers gave birth to the
‘Society of Oriental Art’ in 1907. Their first major success was to send a group of artists like
Nandlal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar, Samnendranath Gupta to copy the painting of Ajanta &
Bagh caves. They worked with Lady Hrrringham of Indian Society of London. The paintings
which were published and were widely acclaimed in the European journals and established
the antiquity and greatness of ancient Indian Painting. This enthused the Indian artists to
tern for inspiration to true native tradition. They created a short of new renaissance under
the guidance and leadership of Abanindranath Tagore. This rebirth of Indian art spread to
every part of the country like Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Lucknow, Jaipur and Hyderabad from
Bengal.
Conclusion: Influence of Ajanta and Bagh is clearly seen in Bengal painting. The Bengal
painters have succeeded in introducing liner delicacy, rhythm and grace of Ajanta into their
paintings. The school laid down the foundation stone for the growth of modern painting.

Q.3. Mention the main features of the Bengal school of painting.

Ans.3. The Main features of the Bengal school of Painting

1. Bengal school artists gave a sense of direction to the first art movement of the country.
They sowed the confidence in the traditional values and rich heritage of Indian art by giving
the Indians a new cultural consciousness.
2. The Bengal school adopted a new Japanese water color technique called ‘wash’ which
synthesized with European water color and Indian Tempera. Wash became the hallmark of
Bengal school.
3. During this period all types of painting including religious, social and historical events,
birds and animals and landscape were painted.
4. The colours are soft without shadow and conventional perspective giving a mystic sense
of space and atmosphere and diluting the impact of colour. The Bengal painters introduced
linear delicacy, rhythm and grace of Ajanta.

5. The colour scheme of the painting is marvelously attractive with a mixture of tempera
and newly acquired Japanese technique of wash.

6. No clay modeling was encouraged, because it was associated with Western academic art
education.

Study of the Paintings of the Bengal school

Q.4. Write the name of the artist and medium and technique of any ONE of the paintings
given below which reflects varied emotions through depiction of female form.
Explain how successful the artist has been in showcasing its subjectmatter in about 100-
150 word each.

A) ‘Shiv and Sati’

(OR)

B) ‘Radhika’
Ans.4.

(a) Title: Shiva and Sati Painter- Nandlal Bose Period- Modern
Medium- Water colour on Paper Technique- Wash with Tempera Circa: 1947
A.D.
Collection: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
Subject-matter and Composition: In this painting, the artist has shown a mythological event
of Lord Shiva and his wife Sati (Parvati). In the center of the picture, Lord Shiva and Sati have
been depicted prominently in the sad mood. Shiva has been shown in sitting pose looking at
the Sati’s faded face helplessly and stretching his both arms to support Sati’s body which is
lying on his left knee in unconscious state wearing necklaces, ear rings, armlets, bracelets
and light red colour saree to cover Sati’s body and sensitive organs. An aura of light yellow
colour has been shown behind Shiva’s head. His forehead is looking bright. His hair is tied
with bun on the top but it is spreading behind his both shoulders. He is wearing necklace
and a snake around his neck. The torso of Shiva is looking a little bulky. This is a dramatic
depiction on offset paper using the yellowish, brownish, violet and reddish colours in
various shades and tones. In the background as well as foreground of the picture, the light
and dark combination of brownish and yellowish colours have been used to show sky which
goes to merge with earth’s surface looking undulating shape through violet, brownish and
whitish colours.
Q.5. Write a note on the following Artists of Bengal School.
(a) Abanindranath Tagore (b) Nandalal Bose

Ans.5. (a) Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951)

Abanindranath Tagore was born in the Tagore family in Jorasanko, West-Bengal noted for its
cultural atmosphere, in 1871. He was the creator of the Bengal School of painting and
restored national pride by reviving the greatness of traditional Indian Painting.
Abanindranath received formal training in pastels, water colour and life study under Signor
Ghilardi, an Italian artist. He learned oil painting and portraiture from Chales Palmer, an
English professional artist. Professor E.B. Havell, Principal Government Art College, Calcutta
was greatly impressed by his versatility and offered him the post of Vice-Principal, the first
Indian to be so chosen. Under his guidance, Abanindranath studied the Rajput and Mughal
school of miniature painting. Afterwards he began a series of paintings based on ‘Krishnalila’
and followed it by ‘Arabian Nights’ series which fused myth and the Contemporary life of
Calcutta. He evolved a new style of painting by fusing the technique of tempera with
Japanese technique of wash which left no shadows and created a dream world of soft
colours. Some of his great paintings are Journey’s End, Bharat Mata, Death of Shahjahan,
Ganesh Janani, Radha Krishna and Omar Khayyam etc. Abanindranath can be called the
Father of Modern Indian Painting. He was the first major artistic figure of Modern India and
evolved a national style based on Indian Traditional Painting and offered an alternative to
Western stylistic norm.
Ans.5. (b) Nandalal Bose (1883-1966)
After Abanindranath, he is acknowledge as the second major painter of the Bengal school.
His skill as pa painter was quite apparent in his school days when he copied paintings of
great masters like Raphael and Raja Ravi Varma. He enrolled as a student of Calcutta school
of Art and Craft in 1905 and learnt painting directly from the great master Abanindranath
who was then the Vice-Principal of the school. After graduating from the school, he joined
the Bengal School of Painting under Abanindranath.
Nandlal refused to join the art school as a teacher and preferred to stay at Jorasanko, the
home of the Tagore family and his close contact with Dr. A.K. Coomaraswamy, Sister
Nivedita, Rabindranath Tagore helped him to widen his intellectual horizon. He Illustrated
the literary works of Rabindranath specially the book of Alphabets for many Years.
He assisted to Lady Herringham, a British Mural Painter in making copies of Ajanta cave
paintings in 1910-11, which gave him opportunity to come in close contact with the greatest
masterpieces of ancient Indian Art, whic h brought great change and maturity in his artistic
style.
Around 1920 he joind Kala Bhawan, Shantiniketan as Principal. His great love for Indian
tradition inspired him to paint on mythological themes more realistically. His best works like
Shiva and Shati, ‘Shiva drinking poison’, Partasarathi, Sati and Return of the Buddha are all
rooted in Indian tradition. His mural for Kala Bhawan, and panels of the Faizpur (Lucknow)
and Haripura Congress depict the life of the common people. Though Nandlal was aware of
the international artistic trends, he remained nationalistic to the core throughout his life. He
retired from the principal of Kala Bhawan in 1951 and produced illustrious students like
Ramkinkar Vaij and Vinod Behari Mukharjee. He receved Doctorate degree from Banaras
Hindu University, D.Lit. from Calcatta University and Deshikottam from Visva Bharti, Padms
Vibhusan from Govt. of India and Fellowship of Lalit Kala Academy.
Q.6- What has the artist displayed in ‘Radhika’? Describe the subject- matter and
compositional arrangement of this painting.

Ans.6- (Students write the appropriate answer for this question yourself)

Q.7- “The artwork “Meghdoot” from Bengal School represents poetic and metaphorical
representation of love by depicting flowing wind, curly clouds as the messenger of love
that personify use of lyricism in art”
 On the basis of above statement Identify the Artist and its medium /
technique
 Elaborate on the subject matter of the painting and express your views
while appreciating this artwork.
Ans.7-

Title: Meghdoot Painter- Ram Gopal Vijaywargiya Period- Modern

Medium- Water colour on Paper Technique- Wash with Tempera Circa: 1940 A.D.
Collection: Artist Collection
Q.8- Write a note on the following Artist of Bengal School.
(a) M.A.R. Chughtai
Ans.8. (Students write the appropriate answer for this question yourself)
Q.9- Mention the five Names of the Bengal school’s artists. Which is included in your
course of study?

Ans.9. (Students write the appropriate answer for this question yourself)

Q.10- Bengal School artists, by their inspiring art work motivated the common people to
contribute in the national freedom movement.
Ans.10. (Students write the appropriate answer for this question yourself)
Q.11- Which of the following Artist has been painted Radhika?
A- M.A.R. Chughtai B- Kshitindra Nath
C- Abanindranath Tagore D- Ram Gopal Vijayvargiya

Q.12- In the painting ‘Journey’s End’ made by the Abninranath Tagore, the dominant
emotion that is experienced by us can be identified as:
i. Empathy & Sorrow
ii. Happiness & Laughter
iii. Anger & Energy
iv. Love & Bravery