National Gallery of Modern Art-Parikraman

Nandalal Bose

A Sketch from Album No. 86 9205 Nandalal Bose Pen & Ink on postcard

Nandalal had a strong affinity for sketching and drawing, instantly recording in the post card sized papers his subjects from the surrounding environs, people in their everyday life, animals, flora and fauna or anything that he found fascinating. The drawings complete in themselves were his vivid observations of the characteristics and attributes of subjects chosen from his immediate surroundings. The artist has portrayed here a group of tribal women, some with young infants, carrying their belonging on their head. Dinkar Kowshik in his article 'Drawings and Sketches of Nandalal in the book, "Nandalal Bose - A collection of Essays" has written of Nandalal's sketches and drawings - "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."