Important Notice

One of India's most influential Bengal School artists, Nandalal Bose sought to reinvigorate Indian art by rooting it back in Indian tradition, shunning the Western academic approach to art that prevailed at the time. He trained under Abanindranath Tagore, who later invited him to work at Jorasanko, Calcutta, where he came into contact with A K Coomaraswamy, Rabindranath Tagore, and Count Okakura. In 1920, Bose joined Kala Bhavan at Shantiniketan... One of India's most influential Bengal School artists, Nandalal Bose sought to reinvigorate Indian art by rooting it back in Indian tradition, shunning the Western academic approach to art that prevailed at the time. He trained under Abanindranath Tagore, who later invited him to work at Jorasanko, Calcutta, where he came into contact with A K Coomaraswamy, Rabindranath Tagore, and Count Okakura. In 1920, Bose joined Kala Bhavan at Shantiniketan as a teacher, and taught many notable Indian Modernists, including K G Subramanyan. Bose adapted Chinese and Japanese techniques, such as calligraphy and wash, to suit an Indian ethos. However, "The essential ingredients of his mature style were drawn from the artistic traditions of the Ajanta and miniature schools." (Pran Nath Mago, Contemporary Art in India: A Perspective, New Delhi: National Book Trust, 2001, p. 34) Bose was deeply influenced by mythology, the Upanishads and other Indian doctrines, which formed the theoretical basis of his works.

The present lot, a preparatory sketch for Mahishasura Mardini, illustrates the moment when Durga slays the demon Mahishasura. This is an important theme in Bengali culture, where the idol of Durga slaying the demon is worshipped during Durga puja. Bose's drawing is rich in detail. Durga's face, the demon's severed head, and the whorls in the background stylistically echo Japanese and Tibetan art, but are done in Bose's unique style. A line drawing of this sketch is in the collection of the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, and was made for the cover of an issue of Desh, a well- known Bengali magazine.

Quote (if relevant):

"Unless you feel within you the omnipresent bliss of existence, you like things, your love or liking grows within you day by day, and it is that love which inspires you to your work, an attempt at mastering mere technique is quite futile." - Nandalal Bose

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