He brought versatility and emotion to folk art

Google is celebrating with a doodle the 130th birth anniversary of one of the big names in 20th century Indian art, Jamini Roy.

A graduate from the Government College of Art, Kolkata, Roy was a pupil of Abanindranath Tagore, the creator of ‘Indian Society of Oriental Art’. Roy was born in Beliatore village of Bankura district in 1887.

He started his career spanning over six decades as a commissioned portrait artist but soon gave up and began experimenting with Indian folk art. He took lessons from patua, a community known for their traditional occupation of painting idols, to better his craft at Kalighat paintings.

His work, however, wasn’t limited to painting alone. His wooden sculptures, rooted in Indian villages, reflect the traditional art of Bengal. The quintessential ‘Jamini Roy’ work exhibits bold colours of red, yellow ochre, blue, and white. Roy brought versatility and emotion to folk art. While a painting of a Santhal woman oozes sensuousness, the ‘Three Pujarinis’ are very traditional looking almond-eyed women.

Some of his other world famous work includes, ‘Ramayana’ a magnum opus spread across 17 canvases; ‘Gopini and two Companions’; ‘Mother and Child’; ‘Bengali Woman’; and ‘Three men in boat’ .

Jamini Roy received many awards and accolades, including the Padma Bhushan in 1955. In 1976, the Archaeological Society of India declared him one of “Nine Masters” to be treated as treasure. Roy passed away in 1972.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / The Internet Desk / April 11th, 2017