THE LEADER OF the art renaissance in India, Nandalal Bose was born in Kharagpur on
December 3, 1883. Bose was educated at Government School of Art, Calcutta, and
later studied under Tagore. He flowered into a prodigy of the Bengal School and
eventually became the most famous artist of his time. He was professor
Emeritus, Visva Bharti University. Earlier, when Gurudev Tagore established Visva
Bharti in 1931, Bose joined Kala Bhavan as Principle, was promoted to Director
and remained there till his death.
Bose’s tremendous contribution to art brought him the Padma
Vibhushan in 1955 for his wide-ranging body of work. One of the deepest, perhaps
most meaningful, experiences of his life was his travels through China with
Tagore in 1924.
The paintings which bought Bose early fame are Ganesh,
Siddharth, Dying Swan, Satyabhama, Krishna, Dancing Kali and Swami Vivekananda.
As is obvious, he turned to the epics and mythology for themes. His canvas Sati
Dehatyag(self-immolation of sati) was displayed at the first exhibition of the
Indian Society of Oriental Art in 1908, A master in depicting Lord Shiva, his
canvases Shiva and Annapurna and Umar Byatha are classics.
Bose traveled to the Ajanta Caves on a Copying assignment
and was responsible for the regeneration of Indian paintings through variegated
themes. His published works Rupavali, Ornamental Arts and Silpakatha are displayed
at Shantiniketan even today. Bose died on April 16, 1966 after having lived a
full life of artistic achievement.
