Human civilization
started by the Valley of Indus about 27,000 years ago and lasted till 17,000
B.C. Aryan arrived here shortly after that time. Next history is the history of
collision and unification of Aryan and Austric ( Kol, Shobor, Chondal) culture,
from which Indian culture adopted it’s character. The oldest mark of Indian Art
is found in ‘Pandurajar Dhibi’ with different kinds of motifs done on
earthenware. Besides, oriented
earthenware also found in Chalcolethic (i.e; Bronze Age) village areas. This
represents the ‘Pottery Craft’ established that time.
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Ivory Fertility Ringstone, Shunga period |
Before Mouriya-Shungo
time, there were some low-relief burnt-earth plate works found in the distorted
history of that time. Approximately at 300
B.C, Pundrabardhan was included into Mouriya Dynasty. From Engraved writing found
near Bogra at Mahasthan, Buddhism is proven to be established. In Shoungo Dynasty
there was found Terracotta of two dimensional characteristics used for
Architectural orientation.
In the reign of second
Chandragupta, overall Indian culture (literature, drama, astronomy, art etc)
accomplished ‘Classical’ (Dhrupodi in local language) character
(320A.D-575A.D). There is seen two art-ideologies in Classical style. Firstly,
Ornamental style, where shape-oriented painting was core objective, with using
color of different intensity and lines. This method was known as ‘Margoriti’.
The second one was the ‘Moddhojugiyo’ style, avoiding orientation, using sharp
and clear lines.
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Vikramaditya, Chandragupta II |
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Shiva Nataraj, the Lord of Dance, Chola Dynasty (ca.860-1279): represents cosmic dance of creation tramping a dwarf which represents ignorance, there is a nimbus around him, and one hand holds fire, another hand points out the left leg as a place for submission for the believers and another hand assures freedom for the devotee. |
In the middle of 8th
century, Paul Dynasty was established and they ruled over 400 year. Paul
Dynasty supported Buddhist religion, and education, culture and architecture
started flourishing centering this religion back that time. Painting art-style
was established in Bengal in this period, proof of which was found in miniature
art in ‘Talpatar puthi’ and the ‘wooden-cover’ of this. This was called
‘East-Indian Art-way’ or ‘Paul Art’. Miniature art era in Bangla started from
‘Paul period’. Paul ‘Puthi’ art, and sculpture were inspired by ‘Classical’
style followed back in Gupta dynasty. Starting from the last stage of 10th
century, the ‘Moddhojugiyo’ style was followed over the next 150 years. In 14th
century this ‘Moddhojugiyo’ style was also followed to paint manuscript in
Gujrat, situated in west India.
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Puhtichitra inspired from Jagannath (Lord of Universe, also considered as a form of Vishnu) culture |
After Paul reign,
Bangarajja (south-east Bengal and the southern part of West-Bengal), ruling
power shifted to Hinduism followers ‘Sen’ king. So during their reign culture
and art was flourished basing ‘Hindu’ religion.
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Indo-Islamic Architecture, Gol Gumbaz Mosque, Bijapur, India |
Then the whole Bengal
was conquered by Turkey’s Muslim warriors, which added different taste in
Indian art and culture. In Sultan Dynasty, ‘Safavi’ painting-style of Persian art-style
was followed in Darbar in manuscript painting. This art-way was a balanced
blending of Persian, Baigentain and Chinese art. Muslim art was paper-based,
which vertically characterized it, and also geometric, motifs derived from
nature based because of religious reason. Calligraphy was another way of art
invented by Muslims. These influenced the Indian art of that time and during
Sultan Iliash Shah, there was a unique architectural art style called
‘Indo-Islamic’ method. Glaze-tile orientation started first in India in
architecture in Sultan Jalal Uddin Shah’s period. In 15th and 16th
century there was seen a unification of Persian Hirat and Shiraj ghorana, and
Bangladeshi ghorana.
During sultan Allauddin
Shah, the appearance of Srichoitonno Deb influenced the culture and art of that
time. In 16th century paper was started making locally in Bengal,
where paintings were about the story of Ram and Krishna, influenced from Vishnu
religion. One of the most important aspect of this time was Patachitro and
Potchitro. The reflection of Rajasthani art was seen in 16th and 17th
century Bengali art. 18th and 19th century Patachintro
was somewhat influenced by ‘Moddhojugiyo’ style. Patachitro of the last stage
of 18th century was inspired by Bengali local Potchitro.
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Radha swings with Krishna, Patachitra |
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Potchitra |
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Akbar and the Elephant Muni, Mughal miniature art |
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In 1576, after Bangle
was included to ‘Mughal’ reign, Mughal culture started entering the Bengali
culture. Mughal miniature art was an attempt of a secular art, combining the
Persian and Bengali art. Mughal
art-style basically is the unification of Persian, Indian hereditary and European
art-style, which was two dimensional with pure and smooth lines, where
enamel-like bright colors were present but light-shadow and perspective were
absent. During 16th century, establishing relation with Westerns
‘Mughal’ art started being influenced by Flemis-art, where the artist of this
time started practicing ‘Perspective’ and ‘Light-shadow’. This style later
became very famous in 19th century. In 17th century
Mughal art finally could made it out of the influence of Persian art and
achieved unique character partly influenced by European art style where colors
started becoming smooth and cold. According to subject and character Mughal art
was secular. On the other hand, in different region of Bengal, unifying local
and Mughal art, some some Mughal-local art was born, of them some became famous
as unique art style, eg. Murshidabad, Lakhnau, Patna etc. This Murshidabad art
style became a very famous unique art style in the time of Nabab Alibordi Khan
(1740-1750) containing the character of disciplined and limited lines, and cold
colors. In the 2nd half of 18th century some artist from
Rajasthan started permanent-dwelling in Murshidabad, with which Murshidabadi
art-style appeared to be interested in Rajput art-style.
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Bhabaneshwari Temple, Baronagar,(Murshidabadi Style Terrocota) |
After Palashi war,
defeating Nabab Shiraj-ud-doula, company ruling starts in Bengal. Art directly
intervened by European especially English is called Company painting style.
There are some different ways can be seen in Murshidabad in Company
painting-style. Firstly, miniature painted on foreign paper; secondly, portrait
of Indian Nababs and Feudal-lords; thirdly, a unique style called ‘mica-art’,
with scratching talc/mica, and then printing it in glass.
After 1857
Shipahi-revolt, company ruling in India came to an end and British colonial ruling
started, with which Calcutta became the administrative capital of Bengal. The
personal stage of art work becomes institutional in this period which gives
birth to Modern Era ending Middle Age. Chasing luck some European artists came
in the country. They used to follow three medium, oil-painting on canvas, water
color on elephant teeth and finally water-color on paper and printing it from
that in engraving method. They started teach drawing technique to local artist.
Starting from the last
stage of 18th century and throughout the 19th century,
the Art movement started based on Kalighat temple, Calcutta, was renowned as
Kalighat Potchitro.
At the last stage of 19th
century, Bengali people started establishing press in their own accord.
Booklets were largely printed from there to entertain less educated people,
with containing pleasing picture in it. Presses here started becoming renowned
as ‘Bot-tola Publication’ and the printing art started being called as
‘Bot-tola Printing Art’. Lithography and Oleograph also became famous as
printing method then.
British artist started Oil-painting in this
subcontinent, but through the decades after Company ruling, and before
establishing art school, these was seen a mixed style of oil-painting. It was
the symbol of transition period in changing of taste.
In 1854, ‘Government
school of Art’ was established in Calcutta, and some other similar to this in
Mumbai, Madras, Lahore, Jaypur. Vocational training, creative drawing,
sculpture etc various kinds of education were exercised in these institutions,
and middling these institution there evolved a artist community educated in Practical
Western art style. Someone named Shoshivushon Paul educated in Practical
Western method, started an art school named ‘Maheshwarpara School of Fine Art’
in Maheshwarpara, Khulna which is considered to be the first fine arts school
in east Bengal, and first village-based art school in whole India.
At the starting of 20th
century, under Abanindranath Tagor’s apprenticeship and lead another new art
movement established named ‘Bengal School’ or ‘Nobbo-bongiyo trend’. This style
was synthesis of Ajanta, Mughal, Practical Western style and Japanese Wash
style.
In 1920, Rabindranath
Tagor’s attempted to start a Kolabhobon in Shanti-niketon. Under Nondolal’s
lead, here started a new style of art unifying Western and Eastern art. In
1930, paintings started being inspired by the atrocity of 2nd World
war and the-than global recession due to the war.
After Division of
subcontinent in 1947, Muslim artists came in east Bengal and started
institutional practice of art. Jaynul Abedin lead to establish ‘Government
Institute of Art’ in Dhaka, and that is how unique history of art in Bangladesh
evolved. At the starting this art practice was European academic and
Calcutta-centric art styled.
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Femine-4, Zainul Abedin |
In 1950, exploitation
in economic, social and cultural aspects by West Pakistan made the artist to
carry out work subjecting their very own heritage art, and the scenario of the
misery of the people of Bangladesh. In 50’s people trained from Dhaka art
institute, also started practicing the most famous style of art in Europe-
‘Abstract Expressionism’. ‘Cubism’ and ‘Surrealism’ were also noticed to be
practiced. This decade was the transition of evolving international art impact
in Bangladeshi art.
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Fish Catching Net, Shafiuddin Ahmed |
In 60’s the main stream
painting was ‘post abstract-expressionism and ‘oil-painting’ became the only
medium of creative drawing. Focusing on 1969 mass uprising, oodles of poster,
banner, festoon, magazine cover and drama evolved.
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Farmers in confrontation-2, S M Sultan, 1986 |
In 70’s the most
signifying incident was the Liberation War of Bangladesh, which largely
influenced the cultural arena. The cultural sectors were highly influenced by
patriotism. The main stream ‘Abstract Art’ of 60’s was replaced by ‘Realisism’
in art and sculpture. There started spreading a life in cultural sectors.
Constructing Art-institutes, sending a lot if students to study abroad started
bringing new style and innovation in our culture. “Bangladesh Shilpokola Academy’ was built
then, with which exhibition and competition on art started taking place with
government grant. This decade is the decade of newly birth of art in
Bangladesh.
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Bangladesh 1967, Murtaza Bashir |
In 80’s, artists
started experimenting with new styles. This decade made it possible for the
women to participate in art-world. In 80’s there were some works done inspiring
from local art-style, where a sarcastic expression was tried to be carried out.
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An Allegory of Self-exploration, Nazlee Laila Monsur |
In 90’s, the
revolutionary ‘conceptual art’ style was added to Bangladeshi culture. This
style is now diminishing the difference between ‘visual’ and ‘performing’ art.
Now what it is expressed in art-form, considered as an ‘Art-piece’.