Page 128 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

SCULPTURE 125

wrote articles on western painting and sculpture in journals. Possibly he died in
England. Some of his important sculptures are Bedbash, Calvary’s Anguish, Snake
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Charmer, Cupids Sympathy in Love’s Distress etc. the names of which suggest that he
worked on sculptures which were not merely portraits. 70
Fanindranath Bose (1888-1926) was born in the village Bohor of Vikramapura,
Dhaka. He first enrolled at the Jubilee Art Academy and later during the Principalship
of E.B. Havell at the Government Art School. Like Rohinikanta Nag, he was also
inspired by Olinto Ghilardi (Assistant Principal of the Art School) and went to Italy.
He later went to England on Ghilardi’s advice. As he could not get admission to the
Royal College of Art he enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art and studied sculpture
under Percy Portsmouth for three years and received his diploma with the ‘Stuart
Prize’ (1911). Upon completing his education, he was awarded traveling scholarship
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from the Edinburgh University and Bengal Government and traveled in Europe, got
training in Paris and his work created a good impression on Rodin. The influence of
Rodin and Mercier is also notable in the broken surface of his work. His success in
Britain was a rare phenomenon for an Indian in those days. He lived and set up his
studio in Edinburgh. 72 In 1925 he was elected Associate of the Royal Scottish
Academy. He was the first Indian to receive this honor. He participated in the
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exhibitions of the Royal Scottish Academy from 1913-1920 (fig.2.37). His group
sculpture on a subject of the New Testament and his sculpture of St. John is preserved
in St. John’s Church in Perth of Scotland. He came to visit India once at the invitation
of the Maharaja of Baroda, Sayaji Rao Gaekwad (1914). There are still six bronze fig. 2.37 Fanindranath
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Bose, The End of the
sculptures executed by him in the Maharaja's Durbar Museum. When he was elected Day
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into the Royal Scottish Academy The Scotsman published the following comment:
‘His election is in recognition of the fact that art at its best transcends nationality ...
[but] while he has absorbed all the technique and naturalism of Western art, he is still
faithful to the interior spirit of the Oriental. In his work there may be traced a subtle
appreciation of Oriental character, yet expressed more or less in terms of the Western
art.’ In response to this Bose wrote that in those times of strained relations between
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Britain and India, this honor would let the Indians know that Scotland does not want
to curb the rightful demands of the Indians. Bose was selected for the decoration of
the Victoria Memorials of Kolkata and Delhi. For some unknown reason he turned
down this greatest honor for an artist from the colony. He died at the early age of thirty
seven after a short term illness. 77
It should be mentioned in this context that in the meanwhile the attitude of the people
of India, therefore Bengal, towards colonial rule and art had changed considerably.
Indians became gradually more aware of their local culture and art. This is natural
when the identity and pride of a people is threatened. Yet it should be mentioned that
British education and policy towards art was largely responsible for this. Indians
became aware of many lost aspects of themselves through archaeological research.
Locke, Ghilardi, Percy Brown and Havell who were all admirers of Indian art,