National Gallery of Modern Art-Parikraman

Nandalal Bose

A Sketch from Album No. 71 8853 Nandalal Bose Pen & Ink on postcard

Nandalal was one of the front runners who followed the principle of revival of the classical Indian art and was one of the pioneers of the Bengali Renaissance movement. His early works often were pictorial representations of the literary and historical episodes noted in the Puranas. In this drawing the artist has represented a beautiful maiden carrying a spouted vessel in her right hand as she balances a large tray on her head, also containing varied utensils. The fluid handling of the line and their strong delineation in the calligraphic style adds vigour and grace to the form of the maiden, her drapery and coiffure as also in true representation of the trees in the background. A diminutive figure of a meditating sage can also be seen seated under the tree. Dinkar Kowshik in his article 'Drawings and Sketches of Nandalal in the book, "Nandalal Bose - A collection of Essays" writes, "Much of his (Nandalal) strength and sensitive wealth finds expression in the spontaneity of his sketches. They are a veritable treasure of shrewd observation, powerful calligraphy, psychological insight, rich sallies of humour and emphatic portrayal of the flora and fauna."