Rabindra Puraskar
1 appearances
-
Edition 57 (1981) Winner
Benode Behari Mukherjee
ベノデ・ベハリ・ムケルジー
Benode Behari Mukherjee
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1904-02-07 （Behala, Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India）
- Died
- 1980-11-11 （India） age 76
- Nationality
- Indian
- Languages
- Bengali, English, Hindi
- Residence History
- Behala (Calcutta) → Garalgachha (ancestral village, Hooghly District) → Santiniketan (Visva-Bharati University) → Kathmandu, Nepal → Mussoorie
Career
- Occupations
- Painter, Muralist, Art educator, Curator
- Active Years
- 1919-1980
- Affiliations
- Visva-Bharati University (Santiniketan), Nepal Government Museum (Kathmandu), Banasthali Vidyapith (teacher)
- Influenced By
- Nandalal Bose, Japanese calligraphy and wash techniques (learned from visiting Japanese artists), Ancient Indian mural and miniature traditions (Ajanta, Mamallapuram), Western modernism (Cubist techniques), Influences from Giotto and Tawaraya Sotatsu
- Influenced
- Jahar Dasgupta, K. G. Subramanyan, Somnath Hore, Ramkinkar Baij, Satyajit Ray (student/associate)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University | — | Fine Arts | — | 1919-1925 | India |
| Sanskrit Collegiate School | — | — | — | — | India |
Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University
Fine Arts
Period:
1919-1925
Country:
India
Studied under Nandalal Bose; later joined faculty.
Sanskrit Collegiate School
Country:
India
Attended during early schooling.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Padma Vibhushan | — | — | Government of India | 受賞 |
| 1977 | Deshikottama (honorary degree) | — | — | Visva-Bharati University | 授与 |
| 1980 | Rabindra Puraskar | — | — | West Bengal state cultural authorities | 受賞 |
Padma Vibhushan
1974
Organization:
Government of India
Result:
受賞
Deshikottama (honorary degree)
1977
Organization:
Visva-Bharati University
Result:
授与
Rabindra Puraskar
1980
Organization:
West Bengal state cultural authorities
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Mural at Hindi Bhavan, Santiniketan (1947)
1947 Mural / PaintingA large-scale mural based on the lives of medieval Indian saints; noted for its conceptual breadth and synthesis of elements from various traditions.
Medieval saintsSpiritual and religious themesEnvironment and architectural context
Bibliography
- Chitrakar: The Artist — collection of Bengali writings by Benodebehari Mukherjee (various editions)
- Numerous watercolours and murals (catalogues held by various museums and galleries)
Adaptations
- The Inner Eye (documentary by Satyajit Ray, 1972)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Complex fusion of Western modernism and Oriental spiritual traditionsDelicate use of line and wash influenced by calligraphy and East Asian wash techniquesApplication of multi-perspective and faceting (Cubist) techniques
- Recurring Motifs
- Scenes of saints and religious figuresRelationship between landscape and architectural motifsCalligraphy-like line work and layered washes
Health
-
Cataract and eventual blindness1956-1980Lost eyesight following an unsuccessful cataract operation in 1956; continued to paint and teach relying on touch, memory and conceptual planning.
Legacy
A leading figure of Contextual Modernism in India and a pioneer in reviving mural practice as a modern expressive form; influential educator and historically significant artist.
Museums
- National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi) New Delhi, India
- DAG Museums (collections/exhibitions) India (various locations)
Academic Societies
- Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi
Archives
- Visva-Bharati University archives
- NGMA collection archives
In Popular Culture
- Satyajit Ray's documentary 'The Inner Eye' introduced his life and practice to a wider audience.
- Retrospectives and exhibitions in New Delhi and London in recent years have renewed interest in his work.
Quotes
-
With its conceptual breadth and synthesis of elements from Giotto and Tawaraya Sotatsu, as well as from the art of ancient Indian sites such as Ajanta and Mamallapuram, it is among the greatest achievements in contemporary Indian painting.
Source: R. Siva Kumar, Oxford Art Online (commentary)
Trivia
- Became blind after an unsuccessful cataract operation in 1956 but continued to create art and teach.
- His daughter Mrinalini Mukherjee became a notable artist (sculptor).
- Had a major impact on modern Indian art through mural work at Santiniketan.
- Satyajit Ray made a documentary about him in 1972 ('The Inner Eye').