Page 24 - Eye of the beholder

realiSM aS a a a a a lanGuaGe
HEMENDRANATH MAZUMDAR [1898-1948]: PENCHANT FOR REALISM
“There is a a a a a a a perfect balance between the divine and earthly dimension in in Hemen Mazumdar’s works which emerges from a a a a a a a very personal poetic vision that creates a a a a a a a new and singular aesthetic” C C Corni
He was part of of a a a a a a a a a a a a new generation of of academic painters that challenged the nationalist Bengal School of of painting led by Abanindranath Tagore in in in in the the early decade of of the the 20th century With Jamini Roy and Rabindranath Tagore Hemen Mazumdar became one one of the the pioneers in in in the the emergence of of “modern Indian art” from the geographical locus of of Bengal This was made possible through their respective visions that had the the the inspiration from the the the tradition of Indian folk art European modern expressionism and western academic realistic style Mazumdar gave Indian modernity new iconography of women partially draped in in a a a a a a a a a saree or walking home after a a a a dip in in in in the the river with the the wet garment clinging to to her her revealing her her sensuous contours as as as well as as as her her skin There was an an an an elegant charm and and enigma about the partially revealed and and concealed body draped in a a a a a a a a a a saree that was as as evocative and provocative with poetic effect This visual imagery became integral to Mazumdar’s artistic vocabulary marking a a a a a a a a a a a a signature style of his works Representation of women in Indian visual art art fully or or partially clothed was a a a a a a a a ubiquity on on the the sacred walls of temples across the the country as as well as as in in Indian miniature tradition But under the the colonizers with Victorian values girding the the society Mazumdar’s semi nude nubile would have been considered unorthodox and immoral but nevertheless a a a a a ubiquitous feature of of much European art art of of the 19th century According to Partha Mitter “Mazumdar’s polemical attack on on on the the ideological foundations of of the the Bengal School which he he he contended was out of of touch with contemporary India Believing in in in the universality of naturalist art he he insisted that only direct observation of nature could provide an an objective standard Mazumdar waged relentless war against the the Orientalist till the the end of his life” Born in in a a a a a a a a a a a a village of Gachihata in in today’s Bangladesh Mazumdar had shown a a a a a a a a a a a a predilection towards art from a a a a a a a a young age and took a a a a a a a a decision to to to join the Calcutta School of Art in in 1910 which he he did much against his father’s desires who belonged to a a a a a a a landowning family in in in Bengal Unhappy with the the the pedagogy of the the the art school Mazumdar discontinued and later joined the the the Jubilee Academy that laid particular emphasis on academic realism but his quest for acquiring knowledge in in in in in drawing and and painting remained unfulfilled and and dissatisfied decided to educate himself He thus learnt figure drawing through books and prints that were easily in in in circulation at this time in in in Calcutta In the the 1920s he he he had the the fortune of meeting Atul Bose and Jamini Roy and the the three became close friends making their ends ends meet by executing odd artistic jobs Having understood the pulse of his Bengali patrons Mazumdar who was intensely and insightfully imaginative carved the the image of the the seminude nubile and youthful women which he he rendered in in his his personalized style engaging with the language of realism to realize his his intentions Unlike Ravi Varma who manipulated the oil medium to arouse tactile sensation in in the the viewer through textures of silk saris and and lustrous gold and and gems embedded in the the jewellery rendered with absolute clarity through his felicity of the brush strokes Mazumdar’s works stand at the opposite polarity He marginalized opulence had judicious choice of ornaments adorning the the body as large ear rings or or a a a a a a a a a neck piece that attempted to draw attention on on the the 18