Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore's nephew, was one of India's most distinguished painters. He was the first prominent advocate of swadeshi principles in Indian art. Abanindranath founded the 'Indian Society of Oriental Art' before establishing the Bengal School of Art. The school's only purpose was to counteract the English influence on Indian artists. He earned popularity by infusing Indian aspects into his paintings and when British art institutes agreed to educate and disseminate his style of work in their organisations. His concept of modernising Mughal and Rajput paintings gave birth to contemporary Indian painting, which began at his Bengal school of art. Abanindranath is also a talented and experienced writer. The majority of his literary works were aimed towards youngsters. His writings like as 'BudoAngla,' 'KhirerPutul,' and 'Rajkahini' are excellent examples of Bengali children's literature.
Education
He began learning the subtleties of painting while studying at the Sanskrit College in Kolkata. Following his marriage in 1889, he left Sanskrit College, where he had been studying for the previous nine years, and enrolled in St. Xavier's College, where he studied English for one and a half years. In 1890, he joined at the renowned Calcutta School of Art. O. Ghilardi and Charles Palmer, two European artists, schooled him there. While Ghilardi taught him how to use pastels, Charles taught him what he knew about oil painting. Around 1897, he received instruction from the vice-principal of the Government School of Art in a variety of methods, including those utilised in European paintings. It was then that he developed a specific interest in watercolour.
Early Life
Abanindranath was exposed to Mughal art while studying under the vice-principal of a government school. He subsequently began creating exquisite paintings based on the biography of Lord Krishna, with a strong Mughal influence. When he had some problems with the teaching manner at the Calcutta School of Painting, where the Western model was prevalent, he met E.B. Havell and highlighted the need of keeping Indian aspects in Indian art. This prepared the door for a shift in the school's teaching technique.
Along with his brother Gaganendranath Tagore, he founded the Indian Society of Oriental Art, which emphasised the value of Indian art. Abanindranath had a strong belief in the ancient Indian styles utilised in early Mughal and Rajput paintings. He was determined to spread this approach and worked tirelessly to achieve his aim.
Childhood Abanindranath Tagore was born in the Bengal town of Jorasanko. Abanindranath Tagore was introduced to painting at a young age as the younger brother of famed artist Gaganendranath Tagore. Because he grew up in the famed Tagore family, art and literature were always a part of his youth, and he learnt to appreciate them.
Career
Though Abanindranath Tagore began painting at an early age, his career began to take shape in the late 1890s. The majority of his works dealt with Hindu philosophy and other Indian topics. In 1930, he created a series of paintings named 'Arabian Nights.' The paintings reflected Calcutta's rising cosmopolitanism but used Arabian Nights stories as its motif. Even now, this group of paintings is regarded as one of Abanindranath Tagore's best efforts. Cultural icons from other regions of Asia were drawn to him because of his revolutionary ideals and unwavering love for tradition. Okakura Kakuzo, a Japanese art historian, and Yokoyama Taikan, a well-known Japanese painter, are among them. His encounters with such individuals paved the path for him to include Japanese and Chinese calligraphic methods and traditions into his work. He also worked with English artist and novelist William Rothenstein, who attempted to infuse Indian customs into his own works. Abanindranath's friend William Rothenstein assisted Rabindranath Tagore in publishing his masterpiece 'Gitanjali' in English.
Abanindranath Tagore believes in traditional Indian painting techniques. He condemned Western materialistic art and urged the return to Indian indigenous art traditions. He thought that Indian art and its traditions emphasised spirituality, as opposed to the West, which emphasised materialism. He was heavily influenced by both the Mughal School of painting and Whistler's Aestheticism. Abanindranath began incorporating Chinese and Japanese calligraphic traditions into his later works. The goal of this shift was to create a synthesis of current pan-Asian creative legacy with common aspects of Eastern aesthetic and spiritual culture. His paintings expressed his ideas, and because they were basic in nature, they were popular among Indian art enthusiasts.
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