Government of India
A Sketch from Album No 70
Keywords: Sketch
Artwork
Issue Date: 1950
Publisher: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
Description: Nandalal was indefatigable in his sketching routines which formed an adjunct part of his daily life. Making instantaneous visual records of anything amusing happening in his surroundings or of social events, or observing the demeanor and mannerisms of people, the cattle, and observing intently the ways of nature were inspiring and a source of delight for Nanadalal. His smaller sketches are testimony of Nandalal's keenness to observe and his empathy for the environment in which he lived. Art historian R. Siva Kumar in the book, 'Rhythms of India: The Art of Nandalal Bose' has described the sketches and drawings of Nandalal as - "Nandalal's drawing takes through different landscapes and introduce us to live in different cultures- not cosmetically, but intimately. Done on small cards, these drawings are a visual record of the artist's sensory experiences, and they capture the varying moods and gestures with remarkable ease and economy." In this pen and ink drawing of an old man carrying his belongings in a sack across his shoulder and holding a basket in the other Nandalal has in his individualistic style emphasized on the line drawings with their solidity of the structure. The calligraphic line drawing brings out the rhythm and coherence in the form of his subjects rather than their imitation to a formal resemblance. The sketch bears an inscription mentions, signed and dated 'Nando, 23.1.50' in Bengali along the right margin of the postcard in the brush.
Type: Sketch
Received From: National Gallery Of Modern Art, New Delhi
| DC Field | Value |
| dc.creator | Bose, Nandalal (1882-1966) |
| dc.coverage.spatial | India |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-10-08T07:33:16Z |
| dc.date.available | 2020-10-08T07:33:16Z |
| dc.description | Nandalal was indefatigable in his sketching routines which formed an adjunct part of his daily life. Making instantaneous visual records of anything amusing happening in his surroundings or of social events, or observing the demeanor and mannerisms of people, the cattle, and observing intently the ways of nature were inspiring and a source of delight for Nanadalal. His smaller sketches are testimony of Nandalal's keenness to observe and his empathy for the environment in which he lived. Art historian R. Siva Kumar in the book, 'Rhythms of India: The Art of Nandalal Bose' has described the sketches and drawings of Nandalal as - "Nandalal's drawing takes through different landscapes and introduce us to live in different cultures- not cosmetically, but intimately. Done on small cards, these drawings are a visual record of the artist's sensory experiences, and they capture the varying moods and gestures with remarkable ease and economy." In this pen and ink drawing of an old man carrying his belongings in a sack across his shoulder and holding a basket in the other Nandalal has in his individualistic style emphasized on the line drawings with their solidity of the structure. The calligraphic line drawing brings out the rhythm and coherence in the form of his subjects rather than their imitation to a formal resemblance. The sketch bears an inscription mentions, signed and dated 'Nando, 23.1.50' in Bengali along the right margin of the postcard in the brush. |
| dc.date.issued | 1950 |
| dc.description.statementofresponsibility | 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 the 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 artistic materials allowed him to create a vast body of work with printmaking techniques such 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, yet it is flushed with the memories of yesterday. Inspired by Far Eastern sensibilities that celebrate the traditional, the genius of his art 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 the Swadeshi movement, rejecting western colonial norms of art and taking inspiration 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 expression 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 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 its collection. |
| dc.format.extent | 8.8 X 14 cm |
| dc.format.mimetype | image/jpg |
| dc.publisher | National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi |
| dc.subject | Sketch Artwork |
| dc.type | Sketch |
| dc.identifier.accessionnumber | ngma-08834 |
| dc.format.medium | image |
| dc.format.material | Pen, Ink, Postcard |
| DC Field | Value |
| dc.creator | Bose, Nandalal (1882-1966) |
| dc.coverage.spatial | India |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-10-08T07:33:16Z |
| dc.date.available | 2020-10-08T07:33:16Z |
| dc.description | Nandalal was indefatigable in his sketching routines which formed an adjunct part of his daily life. Making instantaneous visual records of anything amusing happening in his surroundings or of social events, or observing the demeanor and mannerisms of people, the cattle, and observing intently the ways of nature were inspiring and a source of delight for Nanadalal. His smaller sketches are testimony of Nandalal's keenness to observe and his empathy for the environment in which he lived. Art historian R. Siva Kumar in the book, 'Rhythms of India: The Art of Nandalal Bose' has described the sketches and drawings of Nandalal as - "Nandalal's drawing takes through different landscapes and introduce us to live in different cultures- not cosmetically, but intimately. Done on small cards, these drawings are a visual record of the artist's sensory experiences, and they capture the varying moods and gestures with remarkable ease and economy." In this pen and ink drawing of an old man carrying his belongings in a sack across his shoulder and holding a basket in the other Nandalal has in his individualistic style emphasized on the line drawings with their solidity of the structure. The calligraphic line drawing brings out the rhythm and coherence in the form of his subjects rather than their imitation to a formal resemblance. The sketch bears an inscription mentions, signed and dated 'Nando, 23.1.50' in Bengali along the right margin of the postcard in the brush. |
| dc.date.issued | 1950 |
| dc.description.sponsorship | 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 the 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 artistic materials allowed him to create a vast body of work with printmaking techniques such 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, yet it is flushed with the memories of yesterday. Inspired by Far Eastern sensibilities that celebrate the traditional, the genius of his art 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 the Swadeshi movement, rejecting western colonial norms of art and taking inspiration 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 expression 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 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 its collection. |
| dc.format.extent | 8.8 X 14 cm |
| dc.format.mimetype | image/jpg |
| dc.publisher | National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi |
| dc.subject | Sketch Artwork |
| dc.type | Sketch |
| dc.identifier.accessionnumber | ngma-08834 |
| dc.format.medium | image |
| dc.format.material | Pen, Ink, Postcard |
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