Bengal School of Art: Impact on Modern Indian Painting
The Bengal School of Art
The Bengal School of Art, commonly referred to as the Bengal School, was an art movement and a style of Indian painting that originated in Bengal, primarily Calcutta and Shantiniketan. It flourished throughout the Indian subcontinent during the British Raj in the early 20th century.
Also known as the ‘Indian style of painting’ in its early days, it was associated with Indian nationalism (swadeshi) and led by Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951). It was also promoted and supported by British arts administrators like E. B. Havell, the principal of the Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, from 1896. Eventually, it led to the development of modern Indian painting.
Emergence of the Bengal School
The Bengal School arose as an avant-garde and nationalist movement reacting against the academic art styles previously promoted in India, both by Indian artists such as Raja Ravi Varma and in British art schools. Following the influence of Indian spiritual ideas in the West, the British art teacher Ernest Binfield Havell attempted to reform the teaching methods at the Calcutta School of Art by encouraging students to imitate Mughal miniatures. This caused controversy, leading to a strike by students and complaints from the local press, including from nationalists who considered it to be a retrogressive move.
Havell was supported by the artist Abanindranath Tagore, a nephew of the poet Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore painted a number of works influenced by Mughal art, a style that he and Havell believed to be expressive of India’s distinct spiritual qualities, as opposed to the “materialism” of the West. Tagore’s best-known painting, Bharat Mata (Mother India), depicted a young woman portrayed with four arms in the manner of Hindu deities, holding objects symbolic of India’s national aspirations. Tagore later attempted to develop links with Japanese artists as part of an aspiration to construct a pan-Asianist model of art. Through the paintings of Bharat Mata, he established the pattern of patriotism.
Notable Artists of the Bengal School
Some of the notable painters and artists of the Bengal School were:
- Nandalal Bose
- M.A.R Chughtai
- Sunayani Devi (sister of Abanindranath Tagore)
- Manishi Dey
- Mukul Dey
- Kalipada Ghoshal
- Asit Kumar Haldar
- Sudhir Khastgir
- Kshitindranath Majumdar
- Sughra Rababi
Decline and Resurgence of Interest
The Bengal School’s influence in India declined with the spread of modernist ideas in the 1920s. As of 2012, there has been a surge in interest in the Bengal School of art among scholars and connoisseurs.
Bimal Sil was a contemporary of Abanindranath Tagore. He painted in watercolors. His paintings are found in private collections only.
Legacy of the Bengal School
The Bengal School of Art, which emerged in the first half of the twentieth century, has produced a significant legacy in the world of Indian art. Its deep impact on the cultural landscape of India and its role in shaping the trajectory of modern Indian art cannot be overstated. Led by eminent artists such as Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, and Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengal School emerged as a powerful movement that sought to revive traditional Indian artistic practices and forge a unique national identity. However, it is important to note that “while a special kind of nationalist sentiment is present in the paintings of Abanindranath and in the ideas of Rabindranath, there was always an aversion to direct political confrontation at the core of those sentiments.”
Contemporary Artists Influenced by the Bengal School
Artists of this style include Amit Sarkar, Ajoy Ghosh, Sankarlal Aich, Amal Chaklader, Narendra Chandra De Sarkar, Sukti Subhra Pradhan, and Ratan Acharya. Some of the best-known artists of present-day Bengal are Jogen Chowdhury, Mrinal Kanti Das, Gopal Sanyal, Ganesh Pyne, Manishi Dey, Shanu Lahiri, Ganesh Haloi, Jahar Dasgupta, Samir Aich, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Manindra Bhushan Gupta, Sudip Roy, Ramananda Bandopadhyay, and Devajyoti Ray.
Reevaluation of the Bengal School
R. Siva Kumar, who has been studying the work of the Santiniketan masters and their approach to art since the early 1980s, refutes the practice of subsuming Nandalal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore, Ram Kinker Baij, and Benode Behari Mukherjee under the Bengal School of Art. According to Siva Kumar, “This happened because early writers were guided by genealogies of apprenticeship rather than their styles, worldviews, and perspectives on art practice.” His ideas on this issue are formulated in the catalogue essay of the exhibition Santiniketan: The Making of a Contextual Modernism.
Key Impacts on Modern Indian Painting
The Bengal School of Art emerged in the early 20th century as a response to the dominance of Western artistic styles imposed during British colonial rule. Spearheaded by figures like Abanindranath Tagore, it aimed to revive indigenous artistic traditions and establish a distinct Indian identity in modern art.
Key Impacts of the Bengal School of Art:
- Revival of Indian Artistic Traditions: The Bengal School revitalized interest in traditional Indian art forms, particularly Mughal and Rajput miniature paintings. It emphasized the use of indigenous techniques, materials, and themes. Example: Abanindranath Tagore’s famous painting “Bharat Mata” (1905) incorporated elements of Ajanta cave paintings and Mughal miniatures.
- Development of a Distinct Indian Style: The school created a unique fusion of Eastern and Western artistic elements, establishing a new Indian artistic identity. It promoted the use of the wash technique in watercolors, moving away from European oil painting traditions. Example: Nandalal Bose’s paintings, such as “Sati” (1907), exemplified this fusion of styles.
- Nationalistic Themes and Imagery: The Bengal School artists often depicted themes from Indian mythology, history, and everyday life, fostering a sense of national pride. This approach contributed to the broader Indian independence movement.
- Influence on Art Education: The establishment of Kala Bhavana at Santiniketan by Rabindranath Tagore in 1919 institutionalized the Bengal School’s approach to art education. This model influenced art curricula across India, emphasizing the importance of Indian artistic traditions. Example: The Government School of Art in Calcutta (now Kolkata) adopted many of the Bengal School’s principles under the leadership of E.B. Havell.
- Pan-Asian Artistic Exchange: The Bengal School fostered artistic exchanges with other Asian countries, particularly Japan, promoting a sense of Asian cultural unity. This led to the incorporation of East Asian artistic techniques in Indian painting. Example: Arai Kampo, a Japanese artist, influenced artists like Nandalal Bose.
- Critique of Western Academic Realism: The school challenged the dominance of Western academic realism in Indian art institutions. It promoted a more stylized, symbolic approach to representation. Example: Abanindranath Tagore’s “The Passing of Shah Jahan” (1902) rejected photographic realism in favor of a more emotive, stylized depiction.
- Preservation and Promotion of Traditional Crafts: The Bengal School’s emphasis on indigenous art forms extended to traditional crafts, helping to preserve and promote these practices. Example: Nandalal Bose’s efforts to revive traditional alpona designs in Bengal.
Indra Dugar’s works depict rural Bengali scenes and Indian mythology. Some of his most notable works are “The Ferry” and “Village Scene.”
Conclusion
The Bengal School of Art had a profound and lasting impact on the development of modern Indian painting. It successfully challenged Western artistic dominance, revived interest in indigenous art forms, and created a uniquely Indian artistic identity. While its direct stylistic influence may have waned, its broader principles of engaging with tradition while embracing modernity continue to shape Indian art.