Page 131 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

128 ART AND CRAFTS

Gopeshwar Pal (1894-1911) was a member of a potter family of Krishnanagar. He
learnt working in clay from Jadunath Pal and was later renowned for his portraits. In
1915 his artworks were noted by Lord Carmichael. In 1924 he recommended that
Gopeshwar go to Wembly for the British Empire exhibition to demonstrate his work
in person. His skill amazed the British and his self-taught academic skill became
known overnight. On Rabindranath’s seventieth birthday celebrations at the town
86
hall, he modeled the poet’s head in clay in five minutes. 87
Asit Kumar Haldar (1890-1964) was born in the Tagore family of Jorasanko. From
1906-12 he studied painting as Abanindranath’s student. As a student, he learnt clay
modeling from Jadunath Pal and Bakkeshwar Pal. Later he practiced sculpture under
the government architect and sculptor, Leonard Jennings. At the beginning of his
career he taught art at the Kala Bhavana of Santiniketan. In fact, the Kala Bhavana of
Visva Bharati was founded during the period he was there (1919-1922). 88
Pramathnath Mullick (1894-1983) was born in Kolkata. In 1912 he got admitted to the
Jubilee Art Academy. Because of his attraction for sculpture he learnt modeling and
sculpture under the supervision of Ranadaprasad. His sculptures were mainly executed
in plaster. He did both portraits and original works in sculpture. With the initiative of
Gaganendranath he learnt sculpture under the Maharasthtran sculptor Vinayak
Pandurang Karmarkar. He also executed reliefs in bronze and plaster. 89
Debiprasad Roychowdhury (1899-1975) was born in Tajhat, Rangpur at his maternal
grandfather’s house. His paternal residence was at Muragachha near Diamond Harbor.
Primarily at age twenty he sought out an Italian artist and sculptor and practiced under
his supervision for almost three years. Later he met Abanindranath and practiced at the
Indian Society of Oriental Art. He was also interested in sculpture. At Abanindranath’s
suggestion he practiced sculpture under Hironmoy Roychaudhuri. He joined the
Madras Art School in 1928 and in 1929 took responsibility as principal of the
organization. He taught there for almost twenty-eight years. He is the teacher of many
famous painters and sculptors. He was both a painter and a sculptor at the same time.
90
A multi-faceted talent like him is rarely to be found. He was educated in both eastern
and western art trends. His sculptures showed multifarious tendencies. He did not
adhere to a particular style in his work. Yet he could by no means depart from the
European Neoclassical style. His subject matter displayed conscious nationalism but,
fig. 2.38 Debiprasad
Roychowdhury, The it was in no way reflected in his style. Though his work was academic, his style and
Triumph of Labor manner displayed originality. In the field of sculpture he was primarily a portrait artist
and executed many full figure and portrait
busts. His works were executed in plaster and
bronze. His father’s portrait executed in 1924 is
a departure from the conventional method. His
modeling was impressionistic, not mimetic but
summary in treatment. It can be labeled as
academic but in the impressionistic style which