Page 126 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

SCULPTURE 123

Indian sculpture thoroughly upset Birdwood's Victorian aesthetics,
‘So foreign to the Hindus is the idea of figure sculpture in the
aesthetic sense, that in the noblest of temples the idol is often
found to be some obscene or monstrous symbol... the feeling for
the higher forms of sculpture has been destroyed in them. How
completely their figure sculpture fails in true art is seen at once
when they attempt to produce it in a natural or heroic scale.’ 57
Therefore, when the school of Industrial Art was founded in 1854
after the short-lived Mechanics Institution and School of Arts
founded in 1839, there was no intention of teaching fine arts there.
It was intended to develop a class of artisans who would satisfy the
specific demands of the British rulers. The other need for Indian
artists was to supply cheap imitations of western art for Indian
clients. The art institution stressed industrial and ornamental art,
i.e. applied art. British connoisseurs thought that excellence in the field of fine arts fig. 2.35 Clay modeling
was the monopoly of the west. Indian art was always valued as applied art. The skill from Krishnanagar
of Indian craftsmen and their capacity to learn methods of manufacturing better
products amazed them. It was the intention of the Calcutta School of Industrial Art
58
to create, ‘native drawing masters... skilled draughtsmen, architects, modellers, wood-
engravers, lithographers and designers for manufacturers.’ 59
There was no separate system for the education of craftsmen in the Calcutta Art
School but because the art of the clay modelers of Krishnanagar was considered to be
an art form that should be preserved, therefore the traditional artists of Krishnanagar
were provided free education (fig. 2.35). Jadunath Pal availed of this opportunity. 60
The art exhibitions in India and abroad created work for the clay artists. There was a
great demand for naturalistic clay work among the students of Calcutta Art School.
There was a need for life-size realistic images of different ethnic groups for these
exhibitions. These were used in the exhibitions to depict different indigenous groups,
castes, costumes, professions or different rural or agricultural scenes. These traditional
craftsmen were assimilated into the colonial art institutions and were used to fulfill the
needs of the colonial powers. In 1854 when the school of Industrial Art was first
61
opened 45 students were enrolled in clay modeling and 50 in painting. Rigaud was the
modeling teacher. Thus it may be gathered that sculptors in clay were much in
62
demand and there were many opportunities for putting them to good use of the
colonial rulers by enrolling them in the art institutes. Actually the clay industry
developed in the Krishnanagar area during the company period. Besides icons of
divinities, naturalistic clay sculptures were made there in the style of European art
which became famous as Krishnanagar dolls. The colonialist rulers began to import
63
European art and artists for their own use. The sculptures of the kings and queens of
England, governors, viceroys, and famous personalities were imported. Their political
intent was to impress the people by installing these in public places to exhibit their