| Medium | : | Tempera |
|---|---|---|
| Height | : | 14.5 inch / 36.8 cm |
| Width | : | 11.5 inch / 29.2 cm |
| Dimension | : | W: 29.2 cm × H: 36.8 cm |
A graceful Jamini Roy tempera on board portraying a Santhal woman in a contemplative pose, defined by bold outlines, earthy colors, and a harmonious folk-inspired aesthetic. This work exemplifies Roy’s celebration of tribal life and his distinct modernist vision, making it a culturally resonant collectible.
Jamini Roy | Untitled | Tempera on Board | 14.5 x 11.5 inches | Circa
This painting by Jamini Roy depicts a Santhal woman, reflecting his deep admiration for the tribal communities of Bengal and their simple, harmonious way of life. Executed in tempera on board, the artwork captures the woman in a graceful, introspective pose, with her arm lifted to adjust her hair and her head gently tilted downward. The green-toned figure, adorned with a flower in her hair and clothed in a flowing ochre drape, stands against a textured background of earthy yellows and greens, evoking the vibrancy of rural landscapes. Roy’s bold outlines, simplified forms, and luminous palette combine to highlight both strength and elegance, embodying the dignity and vitality of Santhal women. This painting beautifully reflects his departure from Western academic realism toward a uniquely Indian modernist idiom rooted in indigenous traditions.
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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