Page 248 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

CARTOON AND CARICATURE 245

Perhaps the first true cartoonist of fig. 5.4 (top)
Bengal was Gaganendranath Tagore of Gaganendranath Tagore,
the Jorashanko Tagore family. The The University Machine,
political and social contradictions of lithograph
the first three decades of the last fig. 5.5 (bottom)
century were depicted very Cartoon by Piciel
successfully through his cartoons (fig.
5.4). Gaganendranath did cartoons
about the unjust rule of the English.
The Viceroy was compelled to see his
cartoon on the massacre of
Jalianwalabagh in the annual art
exhibition of that year. He did many
cartoons on the contradictions between
the works and words of Indian
politicians. Gandhiji had given his
word that India would win
independence on 31 December 1921. It
did not happen. Gaganendranath did a
cartoon on this issue. On the other
hand, he became vocal through his cartoons against social injustice. A girl named
Snehalata committed suicide because she could not stand the sorrow of her father
caused by her dowry. Gaganendranath did a sharp cartoon on this heartbreaking issue.
Other cartoonists contemporary of Gaganendranath were Dineshranjan Das and Charu
Roy. In the 40s Binoy Bose was the most successful cartoonist in making oblique
comments and sarcasm about Bengali middle-class life. Upendrakishore
Raychoudhuri and Sukumar Ray played most prominent roles in popularizing cartoon-
like illustrations in children’s literature (figs. 5.6, 5.7).
Before the partition in 1947, a
proficient historian of East Bengal
made his name as a cartoonist in
Kolkata and all India (fig. 5.5). He was
Prafullachandra Lahiri, well known as
Piciel in the world of cartoon. He used
the nib instead of brush. His lines were
always angular. The originality of his
drawing and his knowledge of the
world political order put him in a
special place in the world of cartoon.
Before and after the partition Piciel
made his name as one of the best