Important Notice

Abanindranath Tagore’s art largely figures in conversations around the beginning of modern Indian art. His works are primarily examined from the perspective of the nationalist-revivalist art movement that was gaining momentum at that time - a movement that looked towards ancient Indian art for inspiration. Although Tagore incorporated elements from classical Indian art, and relied heavily on symbolism, he was also an experimental artist who used... Abanindranath Tagore’s art largely figures in conversations around the beginning of modern Indian art. His works are primarily examined from the perspective of the nationalist-revivalist art movement that was gaining momentum at that time - a movement that looked towards ancient Indian art for inspiration. Although Tagore incorporated elements from classical Indian art, and relied heavily on symbolism, he was also an experimental artist who used techniques learnt from Japan and other parts of east Asia. According to K G Subramanyan, “At a time when one kind of educated Indian was getting progressively alienated from his antecedents and facing the prospect of rootlessness and another kind was trying to fossilise some of these and preserve them unchanged for prosperity, [Abanindranath Tagore] was one of those few who wanted to save them from both extremes and demonstrate that in a dynamic society, the past and the present exist in organic community.” (R Siva Kumar, Paintings of Abanindranath Tagore, Kolkata: Pratikshan, 2008, p. 16)

Among the many influences that guided his artistic style, watercolours and the format of Japanese ink paintings were the most important. He achieved mastery in the use of a brush and wash technique to soften lines in his paintings and created works that are still renowned for their dreamlike lyricism, as is evident in the present lot.

Tagore then went on to establish the Indian School of Oriental Art in 1907 and the Bengal School of art which was critical in pioneering the Bengal art movement. This led to the emergence of one of the earliest forms of Indian modernism in art - a form that rejected the Western ideas of painting in favour of a pan-Asian philosophy when it came to creating art. The Bengal School led to the emergence of a new generation of painters and thinkers, such as Nandalal Bose, Asit Halder, Kshitindranath Mazumdar, and more.

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