Today, Google Doodle is paying tribute to famous Indian artist Jamini Roy on his 130th birth anniversary.
Born on April 11, 1887 at Beliatore village in Bankura, West Bengal, Jemini Roy was one of the most significant and well-known modernists in Indian fine arts. Mr. Roy is known for his unique style of painting based on influences from Bengali folk art. The career spanned over six long decades, and for his great contribution in the field of art, the Government of India honored him with Padma Bhushan award in 1955.
Jemini Roy studied the subject of painting at Government College of Art in Kolkata. The vice principal of this school was Abanindranath Tagore. Roy studied the classical western style of painting in this college. This was the period when he also made copies of European masters. However, later he rejected this style of art and developed an interest for folk and tribal art of Bengal—especially the Kalighat Pat style. He started using the materials and medium commonly used by folk artists. You can find everything from Ramayana and Mahabharata characters to ordinary men and women in his paintings. He honed his skills by painting his own people. His work also included wooden sculptures rooted in the village culture. His palette was limited to mostly earthy or mineral colors: Indian red, cadmium green, yellow ochre, vermillion, blue, grey, and white. By 1940s, his had become a well-known name in Bengal. His exhibitions were held in New York and London. One of his masterpieces is “Ramayana” created in 1946 in Kalighat pata style. Spread across 17 canvases, it starts with Valmiki and also ends at sage’s hermitage.
Jemini Roy passed away in 1972. Some of his most famous works include Gopini, Standing woman, Three Pujarans, and Bengali Woman. Some of his work can be viewed in the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi.
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