Page 34 - Eye of the beholder

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GaGanendranaTh TaGore [1867-1938]
RENDERINGS OF ENIGMATIC LIGHT
Considered a poetic cubist, he was the only artist before 1940s to have engaged with the language and syntax of cubism to realize his artistic vision. He was an individualist and impressed people by his intelligence and personal charm. He was a self taught artist who had learned the Japanese wash technique from visiting Japanese artists at Jorasanko. A few years older to brother Abanindranath Tagore, his early works comprised particularly in wash technique of rain drenched crows, a common sight in Calcutta [Kolkata]. Till the 1920s he was best known for his brilliant and sharp lithographs that satirized the social mores of urban Calcutta. Then in 1922 he seized what Partha Mitter calls a ‘modernist moment” to realize his artistic vision through cubism. Stella Kramrisch the art historian who analyzed his works in an essay wrote rather provocatively that the formalist simplicity of cubism was neither unique nor significantly different from non western non illusionist pictorial tradition, making a reference to Indian miniatures. She wrote that the cubes Gaganendranath used to construct his systematic geometry was in fact an externalization of the turbulent forces of inner experiences that dismantled the static geometry of Analytical Cubism into an expressive device. The geometry that Gaganendranath devised was premised on curved lines and forms essentially imparting a dynamic character to his works, which juxtaposed with lyrical symphonies of brilliant colours and mysterious light resonating to works of Rembrandt was structured poetry and evocative spiritual light.
The two works in the collection namely “The Mountain Temple” and “Lady in Black” are both in water colour medium. The former work has a mysterious ambience, rendered in shades of grey with values range from thick black to spiritual whites. It has the representation of a massive cave with entrances set amidst craggy mountain peaks with a few temples looming in the background, set against a dark and foreboding dark grey cloudy sky. A path has been carved out in the icy ground as steps could be seen leading up to the temples. He may have visited the sacred Himalayan region or it is a work of a creative and fecund imagination. Nevertheless it exudes an aura of spiritual mysticality, considering elements such as the mountains, the caves and its association with Siva and the temples situated amidst it.
His fascination for light was the result of his engagement with plays that were staged at Jorasanko, dramatization of many of Rabindranath Tagore’s writings. Having moved away from the representation of nationalist culture in his art, that is, following Abanindranath Tagore in the representation of the subject that were mainly derivatives of popular tales, folk tales and with literary content it was light that captured his imagination. It was in its inter weaving of