| Medium | : | Tempera |
|---|---|---|
| Height | : | 18 inch / 45.7 cm |
| Width | : | 11.5 inch / 29.2 cm |
| Dimension | : | W: 29.2 cm × H: 45.7 cm |
A classic Jamini Roy tempera on paper board depicting the iconic Bankura Horse in bold geometric forms and earthy folk-inspired colors. Framed within a decorative border, the painting embodies Roy’s seamless blend of indigenous craft traditions and modernist aesthetics, making it a significant and collectible work.
Jamini Roy | Untitled | Tempera on Paper Board | 18 x 11.5 inches | Circa
This striking painting by Jamini Roy represents one of his most iconic subjects—the Bankura Horse, a motif deeply rooted in Bengali folk tradition. Executed in tempera on paper board, the work exemplifies Roy’s mastery in transforming rural craft aesthetics into modernist art. The horse, painted in bold black with geometric contours, is adorned with stylized harness patterns in green, yellow, and white, set against a muted pink background. The rhythmic symmetry of its form and the decorative border framing the composition reflect the influence of patachitra, while the subject itself recalls the terracotta horses of Bankura, long revered as symbols of ritual offering and cultural identity. Roy’s treatment strips away realism, instead presenting a purified, timeless image that bridges folk artistry with modern sensibilities.
One of india’s most loved artists, Jamini Roy is remembered for forging a unique indian aesthetic for modern art by bringing together elements of traditional bengali folk art and kalighat patachitras, rendered in clean lines and earthy colours.
Born on 11 April 1887 in a landowning family in Bankura district of Bengal, Roy trained in European academic-realist painting at the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Calcutta, and began his career painting landscapes and portraits.
Soon, moving away from these, he started experimenting with a more indigenous visual vocabulary. Level surfaces, flattening of design in depth, and the use of dissonant primary colours were aspects of folk painting that Roy incorporated in his work. Also, he took up the volumetric forms of the Kalighat patachitras. However, unlike the spontaneous brushwork of the traditional patuas, Roy’s lines were more restrained and precisely delineated.
Roy would paint several versions of a subject, breaking and reforming the theme over months. Turning his family into a production unit, he tried to emulate a craft-guild mode of artistic production. He painted on a wide range of themes—common people, mythological tales, Christian iconography, as well as visual characteristics of home-sewn Bengal quilts and Byzantine icons.
Roy was awarded the Viceroy’s gold medal in 1935, the Padma Bhushan in 1955, and elected a fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi in 1956. Declared a National Treasure artist in 1976, his works cannot be exported. He passed away on 24 April 1972.
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