Bengal School and Cultural Nationalism: The Revival of Indian Art

KALAAMANCH अगस्त 16, 2025

During British rule in India, the field of art underwent significant changes. It was during this period that the Bengal School of Art emerged, deeply infused with the spirit of cultural nationalism, and proved to be a pivotal movement that gave a new direction to Indian art.

1. Company Painting

  • Origin: Developed in the 18th century after the arrival of the East India Company.

  • Background: The British were fascinated by Indian lifestyle, flora, fauna, and traditions.

  • Artists: They commissioned artists from Murshidabad, Lucknow, and Delhi.

  • Style: Indian artists combined their traditional skills with European realism to create this hybrid style.

  • Popularity: Gained fame in both India and Britain.

2. Raja Ravi Varma

  • Period: Mid-19th century.

  • Impact of Photography: Photography reduced the need for highly realistic painting.

  • Art Education: British art schools encouraged oil painting and European academic style.

  • Contribution: Raja Ravi Varma excelled in this fusion.

  • Themes: Illustrated episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata in a realistic manner.

  • Reach: His prints and calendar art reached Indian households widely.

  • Criticism: By the late 19th century, with the rise of nationalism, this style was criticized as overly Western.

3. Bengal School of Art

  • Rise: Early 20th century, shaped by nationalism and the Swadeshi movement.

  • Nature: Not just a regional style but a national art movement.

  • Centers: Originated in Calcutta and spread to Santiniketan and beyond.

  • Leadership: Led by Abanindranath Tagore (1871–1951).

  • Support: Backed by E.B. Havell, principal of the Calcutta School of Art.

  • Criticism of Company Style: Both Tagore and Havell rejected it.

  • Goal: To create an indigenous style in both theme and technique.

  • Inspiration: Mughal and Pahari miniatures were key sources.

4. Abanindranath Tagore & E.B. Havell

  • Foundation: Established Government College of Art (Calcutta, 1896) with a vision of reviving Indian aesthetics.

  • Specialty: Unlike art schools in Bombay, Lahore, and Madras, this one focused on fine arts.

  • Curriculum: Integrated Indian traditions and techniques.

  • New Style: Tagore’s Journey’s End blended Mughal and Pahari styles, symbolizing a new Indian art.

  • Organization: Founded the Indian Society of Oriental Art.

  • Impact: Laid the foundation for artists like Kshitindranath Majumdar and M.A.R. Chughtai.

5. Santiniketan – Early Modernism

  • Founded: By Rabindranath Tagore, integrating art, culture, and education.

  • Kala Bhavan: First national art school of India under Visva-Bharati University.

  • Nandalal Bose:

    • Disciple of Abanindranath Tagore.

    • Appointed head of Kala Bhavan by Rabindranath Tagore.

    • Blended traditional styles with folk art and intellectual depth.

    • Experimented with woodcut techniques for educational booklets.

  • Haripura Posters (1937):

    • Commissioned by Mahatma Gandhi.

    • Depicted Indian rural life – drummers, ploughing farmers, women churning curd.

    • Reflected Gandhian ideals and folk inspiration.

    • Example: Tiller of the Soil.

  • Education & Nationalism: His pedagogy linked art to nation-building.

  • Jamini Roy: Abandoned academic realism, adopted folk-inspired style to reach the masses (Woman with Child).

6. Pan-Asianism & Modernism

  • Company Painting & Bengal Partition (1905): Sparked divisions and nationalism in art.

  • Ananda Coomaraswamy: Advocated indigenous art and Pan-Asian cultural revival.

  • Okakura Kakuzō (Japan): Supported Asian unity against Western imperialism.

  • Japanese Artists: Introduced wash painting at Santiniketan as an Eastern alternative to oil painting.

  • European Influence (1922): Calcutta hosted an exhibition of modernists like Paul Klee & Kandinsky → inspired Indian abstraction.

  • Gaganendranath Tagore: Pioneered Indian Cubism (City in the Night).

7. Concepts of Modernism – Western vs Indian

  • Conflict: Indian modern art evolved amidst a tension between Western styles and Indian traditions.

  • Binoy Sarkar: Valued European modernity, criticized Bengal School as outdated.

  • Havell & Abanindranath: Supported revival of folk & traditional art.

  • Amrita Sher-Gil: Balanced modern European styles with Indian themes.

  • Contribution: This synthesis shaped modern Indian identity in global art.

8. Major Works & Artists

  • Tiller of the Soil (1938) – Nandalal Bose.

  • Ras-Lila – Kshitindranath Majumdar.

  • Radhika – M.A.R. Chughtai.

  • City in the Night (1922) – Gaganendranath Tagore.

  • Rama Subduing the Pride of the Ocean – Raja Ravi Varma.

  • Woman with Child (1940) – Jamini Roy.

  • Journey’s End (1913) – Abanindranath Tagore.

✨ This period in Indian art reflects not just aesthetics but also the political struggle for self-identity, cultural pride, and resistance to colonial dominance.

Main Timeline Trick:

"Company → Ravi Varma → Bengal School → Shantiniketan → Asia & Modernism → Famous Paintings"

👉 (Think of it like a movie: Foreign Company enters, Ravi paints heroes, Bengal fights back, Shantiniketan builds school, Asia unites, Modernism spreads, iconic paintings remain.)

1. Company Painting (18th c.)

👉 Trick: “Company loves Curiosity”

  • Foreigners curious about India → hired Indian artists → mix of Indian + European realism.

2. Raja Ravi Varma (19th c.)

👉 Trick: “Ramayana in Oil”

  • Painted epics (Ramayana–Mahabharata) in European oil style.

  • Popular with prints & calendars → but later criticized as "too Western."

3. Bengal School (early 20th c.)

👉 Trick: “Back to Roots”

  • Avanindranath Tagore + EB Havell → wanted truly Indian art.

  • Inspired by Mughal & Pahari miniatures.

  • Not just Bengal, but national movement in art.

4. Avanindranath Tagore & Havell

👉 Trick: “Teacher + Thinker”

  • Havell: Principal of Art College, supported Indian style.

  • Avanindranath: Father of modern Indian art → created wash technique (“Journey’s End”).

5. Shantiniketan (Rabindranath + Nandalal Bose)

👉 Trick: “School of Swadeshi Art”

  • First national art school (Kala Bhavan).

  • Nandalal Bose: Gandhiji’s posters (Haripura Congress), folk inspiration.

  • Jamini Roy: village-style, simple, for common people.

6. Pan-Asianism & Modernism

👉 Trick: “Asia Unites, West Inspires”

  • Ananda Coomaraswamy + Okakura → Asian cultural unity.

  • Japanese artists taught wash painting.

  • 1922: German modernists (Klee, Kandinsky) inspired abstract experiments.

  • Gaganendranath Tagore: Cubism + cartoons (satire of rich Bengalis).

7. Modernist Blend

👉 Trick: “Balance East & West”

  • Debate: West vs Tradition.

  • Amrita Sher-Gil: blended both beautifully.

  • Legacy: India’s art becomes global.

8. Important Paintings (One-liner memory)

  • “Tiller of the Soil” – Nandalal Bose → Farmer, Gandhian ideal.

  • “Ras-Leela” – Kshitindranath Majumdar → Krishna dance in soft wash.

  • “Radhika” – Abdur Rahman Chughtai → Mughal-Persian fusion.

  • “City in the Night” – Gaganendranath Tagore → Cubism in India.

  • “Ram Vanquishing Ocean” – Raja Ravi Varma → Myth in oil.

  • “Woman with Child” – Jamini Roy → Folk simplicity.

  • “Journey’s End” – Avanindranath Tagore → Camel at sunset, symbol of Indian soul.

👉 Trick to recall: “Farmer Krishna Radhika Cubist Ram Woman’s Journey” 

KALAAMANCH

प्रस्तुतकर्ता KALAAMANCH

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