Page 74 - Eye of the beholder

Figure 22:
Title: Ganesh Janani
Artist: Jamini Roy
Medium: Tempara on Canvas Size: 32 X 20 inches Signed: In Bangla Lower right Year: 1940s GaneSh Janani
Religion in in in in India is a a a living institution imbibed in in in in every aspect of social political and national life In Bengal as in other regions of the country characters from mythology and religion have been brought down from their pedestals and given mundane existences Radha becomes the girl next door that goes about her mundane chores Shiv is the the village vagabond while Ram becomes the the boy in the the neighborhood that every parent exhort their child to emulate Agomoni songs extend this same concept to the world of music when they lament how the the beautiful Parvati could have fared so much better in in terms of getting a a a a richer and and and more handsome husband than the one she ended up with Jamini Roy
extended and and pioneered the concept of of plebianisation of of mythological and and religious characters in in in Indian modern art art His palette is is is is is made of of earthy tones the field of of his his paintings is is is is is sparse his his characters are are at at once earthly and and heavenly and and his paintings are are very easy to to relate to to Having experimented with western artistic styles (including impressionsm) in in in in in his his early years Jamini soon settled upon his his inimitable characteristic style which has elements of folk art kalighat paintings and the traditional Bengal patachitras ‘GANESH JANANI’ is is is one of the the most coveted and rare themes that Jamini visited multiple times Since his works works are barred from leaving India sourcing works works such as as these is increasingly difficult The enduring appeal of iconic works like these by Jamini Roy
lie not in in in their their opulence but in in in their their simplicity 68