Page 121 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

118 ART AND CRAFTS

Throughout the almost three hundred years, the style of the terracotta ornamentation on
these temples was not static, but went through substantial changes which is quite
significant. The early style of the 16th, 17th centuries, up to the middle of the 18th
century was linear and rhythmical. The whole of the wall space used to be filled with
various designs, friezes of different subject matters, scenes from mythologies etc. The
figures in the plaques were in low relief which were both molded and modeled by hand.
From the last quarter of the 18th century, the vigor of the style began to diminish in
varying degrees and the plaques began to be in high relief, figures more rounded, faces
carved in frontal position (fig. 2.31) But the richness of the designs began to diminish
fast, compositions were in blocks instead of being inter-related and figures were much
larger. But this attempt at bringing in greater realism was at the cost of loss of the
charm and rhythm that enveloped the work of the terracotta artists of the earlier period.
Thus the style of the terracotta decoration on the later temples showed signs of
degeneration and from the artistic viewpoint, the tradition of terracotta ornamentation
was in the process of dying out. From the middle of the 19th century, the enthusiasm
for temple building seems to become less and less and gradually the tradition of
terracotta ornamentation of temples seems to have lost popularity as stucco and plaster
began to be used on the walls of these edifices. Sometime of course both stucco and
terracotta was used on the same temple walls. But on the whole the easy and cheaper
method of stucco gradually became more acceptable to the patrons and temple builders,
causing the slow death of this wonderful art tradition, which was the proud heritage of
Bengal. The reason may be the closer contact with western ideas, education and culture
which was bringing in new sets of values and tastes. Moreover the new western
educated Bengali elite of Kolkata had come under the influence of urban culture, so
that the significance of temple building as a social and meritorious work or as a status
symbol became lost. One other reason may be that, the arrival of cheaper imported
goods from industrialized Europe brought a decline of the booming trade and industry
of the country, resulting in economic difficulty of the general populace that contributed
to the degeneration and ultimate death of this age old art tradition of Bengal.
From the first half of the 19th century the political power of India including Bengal
slipped more and more into the hands of the British, bringing in far reaching changes
in all spheres of life. This also started to become evident even in the works of the
fig. 2.32 terracotta artists in the very rural corners of the country. Many of the temple builders
Husking rice
or patrons, who became rich through their service to the English traders, the real ruling
power of the country, were excessively devoted to their foreign patrons. As such on
some of their temple walls they commissioned the
craftsmen to portray their patrons or some scenes of their
lifestyle. Thus we find European men and women engaged
in various activities i.e. drinking, hunting, marching with
guns, playing music etc. portrayed on the walls of these
houses of worship, directed by the patrons who benefited