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ARTIST IN FOCUS

N S BENDRE (1910 - 1992)

Artist, teacher and intellectual, N S Bendre was a towering figure in the world of modern Indian art. Known as "Dada" to the students he taught, Bendre's influence in and contribution to the art movement and subsequent generations of artists is profound. He introduced new ideas in art education, including an intellectual informality in disseminating information. As an... ARTIST IN FOCUS

N S BENDRE (1910 - 1992)

Artist, teacher and intellectual, N S Bendre was a towering figure in the world of modern Indian art. Known as "Dada" to the students he taught, Bendre's influence in and contribution to the art movement and subsequent generations of artists is profound. He introduced new ideas in art education, including an intellectual informality in disseminating information. As an artist, Bendre was equally adept at portraits, landscapes and stilllife. The following four lots by the artist belong to two diverse periods of his life, differing in genre, style and thematic concerns, but representing the breadth of his artistic capacities.

Bendre was born in Indore in 1910 to a family of civil servants. The fifth of 14 siblings, he contracted a cornea infection as an infant, rendering him blind in his right eye. "One would speculate whether the apparent handicap has in fact sharpened in sight. Nana's keen observation would suggest that his senses have indeed been heightened." (Ram Chatterji, Bendre: The Painter and the Person, Mumbai: The Bendre Foundation for Art and Culture & Indus Corporation, 1990, p. 4) Despite his disability and the lack of scope to learn artistic skills at school, Bendre persevered in his creative interests, encouraged by his mother whose interest in ritualistic imagery fuelled his own output as she prompted him to create illustrations, sketches and clay figures for religious festivals. After matriculating from high school, Bendre joined the Holkar College as a science student, but shortly transferred to the State School of Art which had just been established in 1929. "Their training was entirely through their observation of nature, never through books... They began with pastel and gradually learnt to handle water colour, gouache, and finally oil colour. They were taught to observe the behaviour of light at different hours of the day and night and were made to work even in the light of the hurricane patterns they carried. This was their introduction to an impressionistic palette that almost discarded black. They also became conscious of the fact that line did not exist in nature-it was an invention of the artist for the purpose of delineating form." (Chatterji, p. 8) These formative teachings impacted and influenced Bendre well through his career.

Bendre graduated from Holkar College in 1933, which was followed by his success at the Annual Exhibition of the Bombay Art Society during which he won the Silver Medal for his painting Vagabond. "The painting won recognition for Bendre as an artist, and his striking sense of atmospheric colour was particularly noted... In the same exhibition, Bendre had exhibited a landscape, which also won an award specially reserved for street scenes. The Bombay Art Society's Annual Show was an outstanding event in India then and an award in its show was a stamp of recognition that installed artists in positions of honour in the world of art. Bendre sold both his prize-winning entries, a spectacular success for a debut." (Chatterji, p. 13) Having cemented his path as a painter, Bendre began pursuing art earnestly - his winning streak at the Bombay Art Society exhibitions continued, and his submission at the Simla Art Exhibition shared a prize with Amrita Sher- Gil, an honour that he refused. His love for travel took him across the country, where he exhibited extensively and won many awards and prizes. In 1939, after a brief threeyear eventful period in Kashmir, Bendre shifted base to Bombay-a city which provided several creative opportunities. He started an art class, whose attendance grew in numbers, and established his reputation in the eyes of stalwarts such as S B Palsikar and K S Kulkarni. His travels continued and on one such sojourn, he met Nandalal Bose. In 1947, at the time of Independence, Bendre went to the United States. This trip exposed him to the burgeoning American art movements and he held one of his earliest solo exhibitions at Windermere Gallery, New York in January 1948.

This was immediately followed by a journey to Europe, which lasted for 10 months beginning with London, where he visited national museums and galleries and saw firsthand the works of Turner and Constable. "The voyage had given Bendre enough time to take stock of his experiences of the last ten months. He tried to assess their impact on his outlook. His firsthand acquaintance with the art world of the West had undoubtedly made a strong impression... He felt convinced representation was not the ultimate goal for an artist. Emphasis had to be laid on ultrasensorial factors. To achieve this, it was essential to arrive at an integration of all forms, an interrelation of chosen elements. And for this, distortion was essential-no movement or action was possible without it." (Chatterji, p. 41)

Bendre's return to India was prompted by the tragic news of Gandhi's death. Back in Bombay, he decided to break away from his previous style and adopt a new idiom of painting - inspired by his travels and exposure to contemporary Western art movements - but one that was met by resistance by some of his benefactors. To sustain himself financially and creatively, he started making illustrations for the Illustrated Weekly of India, which were received well. Around this time, he was also part of the committee to restructure and reorganise the state of art teaching in Bombay to suit contemporary standards. Here he met Hansa Mehta, who had just occupied the position of Vice Chancellor at the newly established M S University of Baroda and was keen to form an art faculty. Encouraged to apply for a job there, Bendre was eventually offered the position to head the Painting section, which he accepted and moved to Baroda in June 1950. Lots 24 and 26 were painted around this time, both differing in style and subject matter.

Within a few years, the Faculty of Fine Arts would come to be recognised as one of the foremost centres for art education in India, earning itself the moniker of Baroda School - alongside Bombay and Santiniketan. The success is largely attributed to the leadership of Markand Bhatt, the Dean, and in no small part due to the open and immersive teaching technique and talent of Bendre. In 1959, Bendre took over the Dean's role after Bhatt's departure which he occupied until 1966. As his success as both an artist and administrator progressed, he continued to form an important part of the dialogue on modern Indian art. His tutelage produced artists such as Shanti Dave, Jyoti Bhatt, G R Santosh and G M Sheikh, each one noted for their distinctive style and contribution to Indian art. Bendre's own impact on art is incalculable- it was not only his personal creative output, but his legacy that inspired subsequent generations of Indian artists and shaped the course of Indian art history.

In the present lot, the artist depicts the battle between Krishna and Kaliya, a venomous multihood snake inhabiting a lake within the river Yamuna on the banks of Vrindavana - a story which appears in the Bhagavata Purana. According to this tale, Kaliya's presence in the water body had polluted it so severely that no vegetation or animal life grew in its vicinity. Seeing this, Krishna descended from the spiritual plane to subdue the poisonous serpent. In the ensuing battle, Kaliya coiled himself around the blue-skinned god and attempted to crush him. Seeing Krishna enveloped in Kaliya's coils upset the cowherd community and the residents of Vrindavana, who responded in distress and grief assuming the worst. To appease their fears, Krishna expanded himself in size, forcing Kaliya to release him from his bonds. In the tense altercation that followed, Krishna mounted Kaliya's manyhooded head and began dancing on top of it. Witnessing this turn of events, a slew of worshippers and servants descended from the heavenly planets and sang songs and played musical instruments to accompany his dancing. Kaliya, fatigued and badly bruised from Krishna's quick-footed moves and enormous strength, eventually surrendered to the god and offered him submission.

Made in 1991, towards the end of Bendre's life and career, the present lot depicts the Puranic narrative in simple and smooth forms, with the artist having captured the details of the characters, such as the yellow silken garments worn by Krishna, without much ostentation. Bendre's choice of colour is metaphorical, yet nuanced; the figure of a dancing Krishna in bright attire stands out like a ray of hope in the sea of darkness created by the poisonous Kaliya. "For well over half a century, Bendre has time and again startled artists and art lovers with his innovative use of colour, his sensitivity to the play of subtle hues in nature, and his ability to transfer them to canvas with unmatched dexterity, whatever the medium." (Chatterji, p. 1)

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