'This book deals with the revival in the visual arts which was initiated at the beginning of the 20th century, and which led to the breaking away from traditionalism towards a new phase of modernity during the third and fourth decade of the century... The three Tagores, through their extraordinary creative work in their respective mediums, ushered in era of freedom for experimentation, a sense of confidence and independence, from which the subsequent generations have benefited tremendously. They established the fact that modern art had established deep roots by the time of India's independence in 1947... The book is the first such exhaustive coverage and comparative interpretation of the creative work by the three Tagores, with wide ranging documentation, factual information and critical analysis, together with as many as 800 illustrations (many of them published for the first time) of the works of the three great artists along-with other paintings relevant in their context.'
(Foreword by Dr. Karan Singh)
Onsite
English
2011
557
9788186579428
1
monograph
CHAPTER 1: Introduction: From Revival to Modernity in Indian Art
The Break in the Tradition and the Rise of Individualism in Modern Indian Art
The Need for Scholarly Appraisal of Twentieth Century Art Activity
Hermeneutics, Cultural Studies and New Art History
Abanindranath and the Misunderstood 'Revivalism'
Gaganendranath More Than a Dilettante
The 'Modern' Sources of Rabindranath
End Notes
CHAPTER 2: Nineteenth Century Colonial India
Western Impact and Indian Response in Political, Social and Cultural Spheres
Some Aspects of British Domination of India
Rise of Urban Centres: Calcutta
Printing, English Language, Education
Middle Class and the Bhadralok
Nationalist Thought, Intellectuals and Activists
Socio-political Manifestations in Western India (Maharashtra and Gujarat)
Thematising the Debate Concerning Tradition
Orthodoxy, Unreflective Conformism
Assimilation and Mimeticism
Syncretism and Alienation
Rammohan Roy and Brahmo Samaj
Dayanand Saraswati and Arya Samaj
Western India: Ranade and Prarthana Samaj
Gandhiji and Tradition: Anasaktivada
Literature: Mirror of Indian Renaissance
End Notes
CHAPTER 3: Western Impact on the Indian Arts
Living Tradition and Manifestations of Revivals During the Nineteenth Century
Indian Painting in the Nineteenth Century
British Travellers in India
British Painters in India
Indian Painters Encounter European Techniques
Calcutta: Natural History Painting, Techniques of Naturalism
Early Indigenous Oil Paintings from Bengal
Phenomenon of Aping British Manners
Indian Collections of European object d'art
Positioning Raja Ravi Varma
Enters Photography and Its Repercussions
Archaeological Excavations, Discovery of the Ancient Arts and Their Interpretation
Surveys and Revival of Indian Handicrafts
Establishment of Art Schools
Revival of Indian Architecture
The Debate For/Against the So-called 'Indo-Saracenic'
End Notes
CHAPTER 4: Prominent Personalities, Their Roles and Interactions
The Tagore Clan
Jyotirindranath and His Faces
Multifarious Genius of Rabindranath and His Literature
Gaganendranath's Branch of the Tagore Family
Abanindranath and Gaganendranath the Brothers in Tandem
The Famed South Verandah
The Bichitra Club
E. B. Havell: Relentless Campaigner and Interpreter of Indigenism
Sister Nivedita, Catalyst and Inspirer
Kakuzo Okakura: The Spirit of Asia
Ananda Coomaraswamy's Brief Convergence
The Indian Society of Oriental Art
End Notes
CHAPTER 5: Aesthetic Ideas, Controversies and Birth of Art Criticism
Havell Begins the Battle
Rajendralal Mitra's Bold and Prophetic Arguments
Shyamancharan Shrimani, the Patriotic Supporter of Indian Art
Impact of Okakura's 'Ideals': Notion of a Broader Asian Reawakening
The Grooming of Revivalism by Sister Nivedita
Coomaraswamy Joins the Campaign
Aurobindo Ghosh's Stand Point
Assessing Abanindranath's Writings on Art
James Cousins and the Theosophist Viewpoint
Inherent Weakness of the Revivalists' Arguments
Agastya's Defence / O. C. Ganguly's Art Criticism
Opinions in Favour of Naturalism
B. K. Sarkar's Questioning of the Revivalist Ideology
Rabindranath's Concepts, Breaking the Deadlock
End Notes
CHAPTER 6: Abanindranath Tagore: Tradition, Assimilation, Change
Methodology for Assessing Abanindranath's Paintings
Early Training
First Indian Style Paintings
'Mughal' Series
Wash Phase
Phalguni Phase
Landscapes
Second Phase of Wash Style (1920s) and Historic Portraits
Masks, Portraits and Relation with Rabindranath's Theatre
Last Phase 1930s
End Notes
CHAPTER 7: Regional Responses to The Spirit of Revival
Bengal
South India Waking Up: Venkatappa in Karnataka
Voices from Punjab and the Achievements of Abdul Rechman Chughtai
Emissaries in North India
Bombay Revival and Its Hero: Jagannath Ahiwasi
Wilderness Transformed Into a Flower Garden: Ravishankar Raval Initiates Renaissance of Art in Gujarat
Revivalist Sculptors
Wembley and Burlington Galleries Exhibitions in London
End Notes
CHAPTER 8: The Pictorial World of Gaganendranath Tagore
Early Accounts of Gaganendranath's Painting Activity
Early Sketches
Maturity Through Landscapes
Satirical Drawings and Caricatures
Confrontation with Cubism and Stage Designing
The Complexity of His Post-Cubist Paintings
Portraying His Mentor, the Poet, and His Own Self-Portraits
End Notes
CHAPTER 9: The Sources and the Development of Rabindranath Tagore's Paintings
Initiation and Growth
Signatures
Bursting of the Volcano
Relationship Between Paintings and Poetry: Marriage or Divorce
Implications of Rabindranath's Colour Blindness
Conclusion
End Notes
CHAPTER 10: Conclusion
Inertia
Invigoration
Momentum
End Notes
Art of Three Tagores: From Revival to Modernity
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