Page 181 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

178 ART AND CRAFTS

delayed, in 1948 an institute for education in the fine arts was finally founded in
Dhaka. The practice of printmaking commenced. Among the few departments of the
Government Institute of Art there was also a Printmaking Department. Through the
efforts of Safiuddin Ahmed and Habibur Rahman from the very beginning of the
educational program quite a number of students became attracted to printmaking in
wood. Instances of woodcut prints done during the beginning of the ’50s by some of
the earliest students, Aminul Islam, Hamidur Rahman, Qayyum Chowdhury, Murtaja
Baseer, Abdur Razzaque and others are available. In Aminul Islam’s reminiscences the
information related to woodcut or engraving reports that, Safiuddin Ahmed’s woodcut
and wood engraving was an inspiration for all. After doing a few woodcuts Aminul
Islam wanted to do wood engraving. For engraving the wood has to be cut in cross
section, not like planks. In those days jackfruit wood cut in cross section was available
at Bangsal in Dhaka, for the purpose of making blocks for printing saris, though that
wood was unfit for fine work. In spite of that he did his first wood engraving on it, a
gourd hanging from a trellis with the shadow of the trellis falling on it. This print later
found its place in the first exhibition of Dhaka. Safiuddin Ahmed bought one copy of
this picture as the example of the best work in the print medium. It was a matter of
great pride to a student at that time. 24
The foundation of the art of printmaking of Bangladesh was laid at the very initial
stages of the institutional education of fine arts and it is undeniable that the fame of
Safiuddin Ahmed as a Kolkata centered printmaker played a considerable part in this.
Upon establishment of the art school in Dhaka the Academic method of education in
fine arts was introduced. The Printmaking Department initially began with the practice
of only woodcut and wood engraving. Later, other media were introduced like etching,
dry point, lithography etc. It was through the initiative of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin
that at the end of the ’50s an etching press and a litho press were imported from
abroad. In 1967 the Pakistan Government donated this department another litho press
25
as a grant. Finally in 1995 a high quality etching press and a litho press was handed
over to this department as a grant by the Japan Government.
The Pioneers of Printmaking of Bangladesh
Safiuddin Ahmed was born in 1922. It can be said that the printmaking of Bangladesh
began its journey under his guidance. In 1942 he completed his education in fine arts
from Kolkata Government Art School. He finished the Teacher’s Training Course in
1946. He worked as a teacher in the Calcutta Government School of Art from 1946 to
1947. Coming to Dhaka, in 1948 he played a pioneering role in establishing the Fine
Arts Institute. He joined this Institute as the Head of the Printmaking Department.
While residing in Kolkata Safiuddin Ahmed had already gained considerable fame as
a distinguished artist in the field of printmaking. His skill in all media of printmaking
is remarkable. In his early days as an artist, he did a number of wood engravings on
realistic subjects that took him to the height of success. In this series of engravings
based on the life of Santals his skill as well as artistic excellence, is evident. His wood