Jamini Roy

Jamini Roy was a pioneering Indian modernist painter, widely recognised for his role in shaping modern Indian art by drawing from indigenous traditions and folk art. Born on 11 April 1887, in Beliatore, West Bengal, Roy initially trained in the Western academic style at the Government College of Art in Calcutta (now Kolkata), graduating in 1916 under the tutelage of Abanindranath Tagore.

In his early career, Roy painted in the post-impressionist and academic style influenced by European techniques. However, by the 1920s, disillusioned with Western styles and inspired by nationalist movements, he underwent a radical transformation. He turned to Bengal's folk traditions, especially the Kalighat pat painting and terracotta temple art, seeking a more indigenous, accessible, and rooted visual language.

Roy developed a highly stylised and distinctive form characterised by bold, flat lines and vibrant natural pigments, simplified figures inspired by folk motifs, themes drawn from rural life, Hindu mythology, Christian iconography, the Ramayana, and Krishna legends. His use of traditional materials, such as tempera on cloth or wood, and earthy colours derived from natural pigments further emphasised his connection to Indian roots.

By the 1930s and 1940s, Roy had become one of India's most celebrated artists, with a wide following both in India and abroad. His works were collected by Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru, and he was one of the earliest Indian artists to gain a dedicated international audience. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 1954, and was declared a National Artist by the Government of India in 1955.

Jamini Roy passed away in 1972 in Kolkata. Today, his work is seen as a bridge between tradition and modernity, and he is celebrated for his lifelong commitment to crafting a uniquely Indian modern art form.