UNIT 3

THE INDIAN NATIONAL FLAG

AND THE BENGAL SCHOOL
OF PAINTING
BY TUHIN BHATTACHARYA
 INTRODUCTION &
STUDY OF BENGAL
SCHOOL OF PAINTING
Chapter 6&7
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
BENGAL SCHOOL
◦ Indian art stood at the crossroad after the decline of Mughal Empire, and
the beginning of the British colonial rule after the mutiny of 1857. By
the end of the century, the smaller feudal states where art survived for
sometime were annexed one by the British rulers. Indian painting
reached almost a dead end. The British ruler in the mean time had set-up
art schools at Bombay, Madras (1850) and Calcutta (1854), and by
systematic propaganda successfully persuaded the educated Indians to
believe that Indians had no cultural heritage of their own.
 Origin and Development of Bengal School of Painting:
◦ The Bengal School of Painting came into existence in the beginning of 20th century A.D., when Indian
Artists and Painters raised their voice against the activities of the British Art Academy.
◦ At this point of our identity crisis, there came some highly gifted artists who tried in their own way to
give a sense of direction to the art movement of the country and created confidence in the traditional
values and rich heritage of Indian Art and made the Indians conscious of the fact.
◦ Their efforts included Raja Ravi Varma, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Rabindranath
Tagore, Nandlal Bose and Jamini Roy and ably supported by E.B. Havell, the principal of Government
Art School at Calcutta. This Enthused the Indian artists to turn for inspiration to true native tradition.
◦ A group of Bengal artists gave birth to a new painting style based on old Indian traditional paintings of
Ajanta, Bagh, Rajput and Mughal art. They created a sort of new renaissance under the guidance and
leadership of Abanindranath Tagore. Thus under the influence of Principal E.B. Havell and
Abanindranath, Indian artists looked back the traditional painting of Indian with respect and got
themselves separated from the blind copying of the lifeless western realism. Thus was born the Bengal
School of which is more a style than a regional development, is the first school representing important
art movement in modern India.
 The Main features of Bengal School of Painting :
◦ Based on Indian Traditions : The Bengal School is fully based on the Indian traditional style as the subject matter of
this school is based on Indian culture. The paintings based on Indian theme like ‘Mahakali, ‘Shiva Parwati’Krishna
and Gopis etc. prove the Bengal School’s Indian mentality.
◦ Influence of Ajanta Paintings : Bengal school is influenced from Ajanta Art. The qualities of Ajanta Art like
rhythm, grace, harmony etc. are visible in Bengal School.
◦ Linear Delicacy : The lines of Bengal School resemble the Ajanta Paintings. Lines are delicate and rhythmic.
◦ Softness and Rhythm in Figures : The figures of Bengal School give soft effect and no hardness is there. They are
graceful and have delicacy. They are rhythmic and provide pleasant experience to eyes.
◦ Beautiful Colour Scheme : The colours of Bengal School are very attractive. Wash technique is used and colours
are not bright and gaudy at all.
◦ Influence of Mughal and Rajasthani Schools : Mughal and Rajasthani Schools’ influence can also be seen at some
places.
◦ Light and Shade : The softness in the paintings of Bengal School is due to its quality of brilliant light and shade.
◦ Impressive and Indian Subject Matter : The subject matter of Bengal School is very impressive and Indian in
character. Themes used are historical, religious, literary etc.
 Paintings of Bengal School
……TITLE ARTIST…………………
◦ Journey’s End Abanindranath Tagore
◦ Tiller of the Soil /Shiv and Sati Nandlal Bose
◦ Rasa-Lila Kshitindanath Majumdar
◦ Radhika [Link]
◦ Meghdoot Ram Gopal Vijayvargiya
ART WORK
1. JOURNEY’S END
◦ Painter/Artist: Abanindranath Tagore
◦ Period: Modern/Bengal School
◦ Medium: Water Colours on Paper
◦ Technique: Tempera and Wash
◦ Circa: 1937 A.D.
◦ Collection: National Gallery of Modern Art,
New Delhi
 SUBJECT MATTER: The painting depicts the temperament and sufferings of the weak. His life’s
journey is about to come to an end with the end of the day. The painting is suffused with a romantic
sentiment yet it evokes pity and sympathy from the viewers.

DESCRIPTION/ARTISTIC ASPECT
◦ The picture is painted in the new technique which he evolved with the fusion of tempera technique of miniature
painting and wash, the Japanese technique. Red, brown and yellow wash colours give the background and the
sky is filled with the diffused light of sunset.
◦ The foreground is painted in the darker tones of the same colour to intensify the sense of pain.
◦ There is a tint of blue where the animal is about to collapse. A massive load on the camel’s back shows the greed
of the master in exploiting the slaves to their last breath. No one is there to watch the thin stream of blood
oozing out of its mouth.
◦ The weight he has been carrying all his life for his master is still enacted on his back so that it is not damaged.
◦ He has yet not given up hope of standing once more to deliver the goods to his master which he is given to
carry.
◦ He is on his knees with his back legs upright and his head slightly raised as if he would make another attempt to
get up.
◦ Artist- Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951 A.D.)

• Moving away from oil painting and subjects that were popular with both the British and Indian intellectuals of
the time, Abanindranath revived the ancient murals and medieval Indian miniatures and took inspiration both in
subject matter as well as technique such as tempera.
• In his rejection of the colonial aesthetic, Abanindranath turned to Asia, most notably Japan in an effort to imbibe
and propose a Pan-Asian aesthetic that stood independent of the western one. Japanese stalwarts like Okakura
Kakuzo left a lasting impression, as the Bengal school artists learnt the wash technique from them.
• He used the amalgamation of water colour with the blend of the techniques of indigenous tempera and wash of
Japan. This blended form was taken up by many of Abanindranath’s students and others who formed the
nationalist art movement which is often called the Bengal School of Painting (Pan-Indian art).
• Bharat Mata, Birth of Buddha, Buddha and Sujata, Tisyarakshita, Taj Mahal, Death of Shahjahan, The Evening
of Life and Fog and Evening (wash technique) are Abanindranth’s famous paintings.
RASA-LILA

◦ Painter/Artist: Kshitindranath Majumdar

◦ Period: Modern/Bengal School

◦ Medium: Water Colours on Paper

◦ Technique: Tempera and Wash

◦ Circa: 1926 A.D.

◦ Collection: National Gallery of Modern

Art, New Delhi
SUBJECT MATTER:- The painting depicts the scene of Krishna-Lila

◦ DESCRIPTION/ COMPOSITION

• An episode of Krishna–Lila has been painted

• In multi-coloured costumes12 gopis have been shown dancing around Krishna with pleasant expressions on their faces.
• The hair of all the gopis are braided with flowers, and one of whom has hair uptill her waist.
• They are shown wearing anklets round their ankles.
• All are shown wearing jewellery around hand, neck and ears.
• Krishna’s hair has also been shown as an ornamented plait of hair with the pleasing expression on his face.
• There is a ruddle-coloured cloth around Krishna’s neck.
• He is shown wearing yellow-coloured dhoti.
• The background is painted with the proper combination of green and yellow coloured leaves and stems.
• In the foreground the land is shown with the beautiful combination of green, brown and yellow colours.
◦ Artist- Kshitindranath Majumdar (1891-1975 A.D.)

• Born in Jagtai in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, Kshitindranath was very impressed with the Vaishnavism
of Shri Chaitanya.
• He had joined a drama group Yatra Dal of Bihar and did stage decoration for them.
• He also got the training of Sri Krishna Leela from Navdeep Brijvasi.
• In 1905A.D. he got admission at Govt, Art College, Kolkata where he made the painting in the style of Bengal art
under the supervision of Abanindranath Tagore.
• Religious devotion and Indian mythic were the subject of his paintings.
• From 1912-1930 A.D. he worked as an Art Teacher and then as the Principal of Indian Society of Oriental Art,
Kolkata till 1942.
• He remained the Head of Faculty of Fine Arts, Allahabad University during the period from 1942 to 1964 A.D.
RADHIKA
NAME:- RADHIKA
◦ Painter/Artist: Mohammad Abdur Rehman Chughtai

◦ Period: Modern/Bengal School

◦ Medium: Water Colours on Paper

◦ Technique: Tempera and Wash

◦ Circa: 1940 A.D.

◦ Collection: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi

◦
 SUBJECT MATTER:

In the painting, the temperaments of lovelorn Radhika have been shown artistically

◦ DESCRIPTION/ COMPOSITIONS

• In the painting, Radhika(Radha) with her half opened eyes, bent neck and hair spread up till her waist, emotion of love has been
depicted.
• She is ornamented with necklaces round her neck hanging downwards, one made of pearls and other with special embellishment on a
red thread.
• She is adorned with bangles and jewels on both her arms.
• In her right hand that is hung down she is shown softly holding a lotus on that a bee symbolizes the presence of Krishna.
• With the other hand she is shown touching the flower to her face, feeling its tenderness.
• She is shown wearing a light violet, transparent-loose skirt with a yellow coloured chunri covering the waist and skirt.
• On the left, a lamp is shown emitting light of red and yellow colours. And the light scattering from the lamp reflected from the
clothes she wore.

• The background has been shown with the blended shades of blue, red and yellow colours.
• The gentleness and rhythmicity of colours and lines is prominent in the painting.
◦ Artist- M.A.R. Chughtai (1897-1975 A.D.)

• Born in Lahore, he felt the European style lifeless and therefore after coming back to India, he learnt
the Japanese Wash Technique in closeness of Ukil brothers. Through this technique he developed
romanticism in his paintings.
• Hindu mythics and poetry of Mirza Ghalib, Iqbal, and Umar Khaiyyam were the subjects of his
paintings.
• His ancestors had played an important role in preparing the outline of the world famous buildings like
Taj-Mahal, Red-Fort, and Jama-Masjid during Mughal period.
• He exhibited his paintings in London, Paris, Berlin and Philadelphia and with this he got to meet the
world-famous painters and thus, consequently his style matured and developed.
• After the partition he went and settled in Lahore.
MEGHDOOT

NAME:- MEGHDOOT
◦ Painter/Artist: Ram Gopal Vijayvargiya

◦ Period: Modern/Bengal School

◦ Medium: Water Colours on Paper

◦ Technique: Tempera and Wash

◦ Circa: 1940 A.D.

◦ Collection: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi

 SUBJECT MATTER:
In the painting lovelorn Yaksha and Yakshani have been depicted.
◦ DESCRIPTION/ COMPOSITION:

• In the painting, lovelorn Yaksha and Yakshini have been shown in real colour scheme, riding and flying on white cottony clouds with
rhythmicity in the blue sky.
• The painting is one from the Meghdoot series.
• The painting has an excellent colour combination with an interesting artistic style.
• Yaksha is shown with curly hair, pearl earings and necklace along with an excellent body structure, smile on face, soft hand and figures,
with a lotus in his right hand, and yellow coloured clothes enchants the mind of the viewer.
• With the love in her eyes and smile on her lips, Yakshini has been shown sitting behind Yaksha, sticking on his back and holding him with
his right hand in an embraced gesture.
• Her hairs have been shown tied up with white flower plait with a beautiful pearl necklace hanging around her neck.
• She is shown wearing pink coloured apparels on the upper part and lustrous yellow in the loin part.
• She is shown wearing jewelleries like anklets on her legs and armlets on both her hands.
• The sky is in blue in the upper part and lighter as it proceeds towards clouds.
• Four white birds are shown flying in the foreground.
• Charming and pleasant colour combination creates a feeling of tenderness in the painting.
◦ Artist- Ram Gopal Vijayvargiya (1905- A.D.)

• Born in a small village named ‘Karauli’ in Sawai Modhpur district in Rajasthan, he got education under the supervision
of Guru Shailendranath Dey.
• Taking his interest in art into consideration, his father Bhanwar Lal got him admitted in Maharaja School of Arts and
Crafts.
• By mere coincidence, Ramanand Chatterjee, Editor of Modern Review, an English magazine published from Kolkata,
published his painting portraying three women taking pitchers on their heads. And with this he got the recognition.
• He had then sent his paintings like Vishal Bharat, Saraswati, Chand and Madhuri for publishing in various magazines of
Gujarati, Bangla and Urdu languages.
• Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Meghdoot, Kumar Sambhava, Umar Khaiyyam and Bihari Satsai were the prime themes of his
paintings.
• He was versatile. He had published three collection of poems, one compilation of stories, and about half a dozen books
on art in Hindi and Brijbhasha.
• The Rajasthan Academy honoured him with Kavita Puraskar for his collection of poems named ‘Abhisaar Nisha’.
• In 1984, Govt. of India honoured him with the title of Padma Shree.
 UNIT- 3
CHAPTER- 8
CONTRIBUTION OF INDIAN ARTISTS IN THE
STRUGGLE FOR NATIONAL FREEDOM
MOVEMENT”
 CONTRIBUTION OF INDIAN ARTISTS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR
NATIONAL FREEDOM MOVEMENT”
Historical Background
◦ In the beginning of 20th century, English language and European life-style was
favoured, and thus evaluation of artworks was done on European standard and
parameters. The influence heightened to an extent that the artists of the time started to
paint the Indian Goddesses and Gods in European style for e.g. Lord Shiva wearing
European clothes or Lord Krishna driving a pheaton.

◦ Painters Abanindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar, Kshitindranath

Majumdar, Sardacharan Ukil, M.A.R. Chugtai; Sculptors Devi Prasad Roy
Chowdhury, Ramkinkar Baij and Print maker Mukul Dey with their own techniques
gave new heights to the Indian Art and have contributed to Indian National
Movement.
Origin
◦ They sought to develop an indigenous yet modern style in Indian art
as a response to the call for ‘swadeshi’ that ended the dominance of
British idioms. ‘Swadeshi Movement’ was a part of Indian
Independence Movement, that involved boycotting British products
and the revival of domestic products and production processes. Hence,
Bengal School laid the foundation of Modern Trends in Indian art. In
the arts moving away from oil painting and subjects popular with both
the British and Indian intellectuals of the time, resulted in the search
and revivalism of indigenous techniques and materials.
Development
◦ Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) with his efforts glorified the Indian Art,
which is referred as ‘Renaissance’ or ‘Avant-garde’ in Indian Art. His iconic
paintings Bharat Mata and Opri Hawake Siddh Log established the pattern of
patriotism.
◦ The great artists gave a tremendous moral boost to the Indian Nationalist
movement which started in 1905 against the partition of Bengal.
◦ Indian Society of Oriental Art was established in 1907 with renowned people
and art lovers of Bengal. The society held art exhibition every year.
◦ The caricature entitled ‘Peace declared in the Punjab’- by Gaganendranath
made on the massacre of Jalianwala Bagh in 1921 brought out the barbarous
naked cruelty of the British rulers and hardened the hatred of the Indian
people against the British.
◦ Nandalal’s ‘Sati’, ‘The death of Sati’, ‘Ahalya’s release from her curse’,
‘Agnidevata’ won acclaim throughout India which revived the traditional
culture.
◦ All these helped the people regain their national identity and gave a boost to the
national ‘Swadeshi’ movement for freedom. Indians lost the sense of rootless
alien entity which is the greatest stumbling block to prosperity and self reliance
for a nation, wrote Rabindranath Tagore.
◦ The panels on Indian folk art and Indian life in 1937 for Haripura Congress by
Nandalal Bose gave a great boost to this sense of Indians to the people.
 TILLER OF THE SOIL (Indian Farmer)
◦ Painter/artist:
Nandlal Bose (1883-1966 A.D.)
◦ Period: Modern/Bengal School
◦ Medium:
Water colours on Paper
◦ Technique: Tempera and Wash
◦ Circa: 1938 A.D.
◦ Collection:
National Gallery of Modern Art, New
Delhi
Subject Matter:-The painting depicts Indian farmer tilling the field in
traditional method.
DESCRIPTION/ COMPOSITION:
◦ The painting has been painted to decorate the pavilion made for Haripura Conference of Indian
National Congress.
◦ It has been delineated with the best combination of thick and thin cross-transverse but rhythmic
lines, tempera and wash technique of water colours on paper.
◦ The painting depicts Indian farmer tilling the field in traditional method and this has been
represented through three serpentine lines.
◦ Dark-skinned farmer has been shown with turban and dhoti white in colour.
◦ Plough has been shown in brown colour, bullocks in white and clothes on their backs with blue
colour.
◦ By making a brown coloured arch the painter has given the look of jharokha (peep hole) with
the flat yellow in the background.
 SHIV AND SATI
Painter/artist: Nandlal Bose
(1883-1966 A.D.)
Period: Modern/Bengal School
Medium: Water colours on Paper
Technique: Tempera and Wash,
Sepia
Circa: 1947 A.D.
Collection: National Gallery
of Modern Art, New Delhi
Size:- 43x56 cm
 Subject Matter:-The artist shown a Mythological
event of Load Shiva and His Wife Sati(Parvati).
Composition/Description
◦ This is a dramatic depiction on offset paper using the yellowish, brownish, violet and reddish colours in various
shades and tones.
◦ In the background of the picture ,light and dark Combination of brownish and yellowish colours have been used to
show sky which goes to merge with earth’s surface looking undulating shape through violet, brownish and whitish
colours.
◦ In the Centre , Lord shiva and Sati have been depicted prominently in the sad mood.
◦ Shiva shown in sitting pose looking at the sati’s faded face helplessly and stretching his both arms to support sati’s
body.
◦ An aura of light yellow colour has been shown behind his head.
◦ His forehead is looking bright and hair is tied with bun on the top, But it is spreading behind the shoulders.
◦ The foreground of the painting is blurred using violet, brownish and whitish colours.
 CHAPTER 9
EVOLUTION OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL
FLAG
“EVOLUTION OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL FLAG”
(Three Phases of Evolution of the Flag- First 1906,
Middle 1921 and Final 1947 Stage)

◦ The evolution of the Indian Flag, the tri-colour reflects the political
development of the country during the 20th century. The building up of
the National Flag as recorded in history was final outcome of various
political trends, communal tensions and waves of mass enthusiasm.
THE FIRST FLAG IN INDIA IS SAID
TO HAVE BEEN HOISTED ON 7TH
AUGUST’ 1906,
THE FLAG WAS COMPOSED OF
THREE HORIZONTAL STRIPES OF
RED, YELLOW AND GREEN.
THE UPPERMOST GREEN COLOUR
STRIP HAD EIGHT WHITE
LOTUSES.
“VANDE MATRAM” IN HINDI
WRITTEN IN DARK BLUE IS AT THE
CENTER OF THE YELLOW STRIP.
THE LOWERMOST RED COLOUR
STRIP HAD A WHITE SUN ON THE
LEFT AND A WHITE CRESCENT
MOON WITH THE STAR ON THE
RIGHT.
◦ The Second flag was prepared by a zealous young boy
named Pingali Vankaiya of Andhara Pradesh, during
the session of the Indian National Congress in
Bazawada (now Vijayawada) in 1921 A.D.
◦ It was made of two horizontal red and green stripes
and in the middle was marked Gandhi Charkha
(spinning wheel) representing the symbol of
revolutionaries.
◦ The green stripe represented the Muslim community
and red the Hindus.
◦ The flag however, was not accepted by All India
Congress Committee yet it remained in use as the
National Flag of India.
◦ Having seen the flag, Gandhiji expressed happiness
and advised him to mark a white stripe in the flag to
represent the rest of the communities in India and
charkha in blue colour as the symbol of progress.
◦ Finally, in 1931 a resolution was passed by the Indian
Constitution Committee to formally adopt the new
tri-colour flag (as suggested by Gandhiji) as our
National Flag.
 On 27th July 1947 with the attainment of Independence, the Constituent assembly adopted the
present flag as India’s National Flag. The colours and there significance remains the same. The
Dharma Chakra of Ashoka was adopted instead of the Charkha.

◦ Name of the flag: ‘The Indian National Flag

known as Tricolour’
◦ Size of the flag: in the ratio of 3:2, length is 3
metres and width will be 2 metres.
◦ Colour Combination: Three equally proportioned
stripes- saffron on top, white in middle and green
in the lower part. Ashok Chakra in dark blue colour
is in the middle of white stripe.
◦ DESCRIPTION/ COMPOSITION:
◦ India’s National Flag, ‘Tricolour’ (Tiranga) is the glory of Indian people and the symbol of their international identity.
◦ The ratio of the length and width of the National Flag is 3:2.
◦ Three equally proportioned stripes of saffron on top, white in middle and green in the lower part with the Ashok Chakra
(means Wheel of Law) in dark blue colour in the middle of white stripe makes the Indian National Flag.
◦ Dhamma Chakra or Ashok Chakra taken from the vertex of ‘Sarnath Pillar’ of Ashoka contains 24 spokes.
◦ Symbolic meanings of colours:
◦ Saffron as the symbol of courage and sacrifice; white symbolizes truth/honesty and peace and green is the symbol of
prosperity and happiness. And blue colour of the Ashok Chakra indicates the truth of the universe and represents the color of
sky and ocean.
◦ 24 spokes represent 24 hours of a day, depicts the way of truth, moving ahead on the path of progress, to carry the country on
its apex.
◦ On the 15th August 1947 when India became independent as a National Flag, it was hoisted from the rampart of the Red Fort
in Delhi and since then it has been a tradition of hoisting it on various national occasions and on government buildings.
Indian citizens have constitutional rights to hoist it, but with few conditions and guidelines
 QUESTION AND
ANSWERED ROUND
 a) Saffron
Mention the
symbolic b) Green
representation of
the following in c) White
Indian National
flag: d) Chakra

e) 24 spokes in the wheel

 Saffron as the symbol of courage and sacrifice;

White symbolizes truth/honesty and peace

Answered Green is the symbol of prosperity and

happiness.

Blue colour of the Ashok Chakra indicates the

truth of the universe and represents the color of
sky and ocean.
24 spokes represent 24 hours of a day, depicts
the way of truth, moving ahead on the path of
progress, to carry the country on its apex.
THANK YOU