Important Notice

On glancing at Sita in Ashokavana, one immediately recalls the technique of Bengali folk art, but its aesthetic significance and cultural value transcend the boundaries of categorisation. Its creator, Jamini Roy, sought to break free from dominant art movements of the early 20th century. In the schism existing between Abanindranath Tagore's nationalism-tinged revivalist Bengal School and European academic realism, Roy found his footing by... On glancing at Sita in Ashokavana, one immediately recalls the technique of Bengali folk art, but its aesthetic significance and cultural value transcend the boundaries of categorisation. Its creator, Jamini Roy, sought to break free from dominant art movements of the early 20th century. In the schism existing between Abanindranath Tagore's nationalism-tinged revivalist Bengal School and European academic realism, Roy found his footing by adapting Bengali folk art to his unique artistic idiom. His shift to this style followed decades of experimentation with colour and form, towards the latter half of the 1920s.

Art historian Sona Datta highlights this move as a "very deep concern with regeneration and the recovery of "roots"….The search for identity and rootedness became an object and "Back to the village" became a popular slogan in the freedom struggle" (Urban Patua: The Art of Jamini Roy, Marg Publications, Mumbai, 2010, pgs.33-35). His interest in the pat, the scroll-paintings of Bankura, was pivotal in his self-discovery. Art critic Ella Datta observed that "…his search for the essence of a form was not over. Along with that was a growing realisation that he needed to communicate with the ordinary villagers among whom he was raised. He had expressed his doubts about art that did not appeal to his own countrymen" (Jamini Roy 1887-1992: Journey to the Roots, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, 2013, pg.81). This dedication, astuteness and integrity to seek a unique language set him apart as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.

Women, santhals and rustic life were among his most frequently used themes. Roy would also draw on mythology and epics for narrative. In the 1930s, he began depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Ella Datta observes that "the stylisation is inventive and often dramatic" in his Ramayana paintings (Ibid). In the present lot, Sita is seen seated in a hut in Ashokavana, having been abducted by Ravana. The lines are smooth and fluid. The scene has been romanticised: the asuras guarding Sita appear pleasant, their lips curled into a smile. Sita herself appears meditative rather than distraught, looking at Hanuman seated atop a tree. Hanuman's palms are brought together in supplication and his eyes glance heavenwards. The repetitive motifs suggest a need to be immediately recognised as fitting within certain roles: Sita as coy and demure, and Hanuman as pious and eternally loyal to Ram.

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