(3 December, 1882 – 16 April, 1966)
Nandalal Bose was born in Kharagpur, Munger district, Bihar, 1882. He was a pioneer Indian painter and declared a National Treasure artist by the Government of India and also Awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954, among several other awards in his career. Bose studied in Government School of Arts and Crafts, Kolkata. He was a one of the greatest artists of India. In 1919, he was a teacher at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, later, became the first principal at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan. Highly influenced by the Tagore family and the murals of Ajanta, his classic works include paintings of scenes from Indian mythologies, depicted Bengali culture, human’s day-today activities especially, women, and village life, animals, birds. The cover page of the "Constitution of India" was designed by Bose and “Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru” was suggested his name for designing.
Bose’s works ranged from figurative to landscapes and engaged with various styles. He often experimented with linocuts, pens and inks, temperas, and watercolours, using the wash technique in his paintings and drawing from the impact of post-impressionism and expressionism. In addition, Bose was perpetually drawing on cards and postcards, most of which were executed in monochrome, free from the bindings of colour. His colour palette is accurate, he is known for his sober and subtle use of colours, which indeed creates a soothing effect for the eyes. His style often reflected a delicate balance and harmonious compositions.
Eminent Indian artists such as Benode Behari Mukherjee, Ramkinkar Baij, Beohar Rammanohar Sinha, K. G. Subramanyan, and A. Ramachandran and many more were all students of Nandalal Bose.
Bose had a unique artistic talent that made a strong impact, not in terms of money but in how influential his work was. His art remains important even today. In his early work, he was skilled with the wash technique, and his compositions and drawings became more structured and design-focused. Later, he explored and reinterpreted traditional sculptural forms and folk paintings from Bengal, shifting from epic watercolors to vibrant, linear expressions of everyday life. In his final phase, he combined Japanese art's simple lines with themes of tribal life, nature, and open landscapes.
Nandalal Bose passed away in Shantiniketan, Kolkata on 16 April, 1966.
