Five figures with implements
About this artwork
Jamini Roy believed strongly that ‘a picture is not Indian because of its subject matter but because of its technique and conception.’ He worked in a harmonious style, which emphasised three elements: the two-dimensional flatness of the image, the framing of the drawing space, and a limited colour palette. Roy’s strong outline gives his drawn figures a fluidity and gracefulness that has no need for illusion or realism. The artist used drawing to distribute low cost ‘people’s art’ that celebrated Bengali cultural identity; particularly significant at a time when Bengal was under British colonial rule.
Updated January 2023
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artist:Jamini Roy (1887 - 1972) Indian
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title:Five figures with implements
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date created:1930s
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materials:Gouache on paper
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measurements:20.60 x 27.00 cm (framed: 43.7 x 59.0 x 2.8 cm)
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object type:
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credit line:Presented by Mary Tara Marshall 2003
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accession number:GMA 4697
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gallery:
Jamini Roy
Jamini Roy
Born in Beliatore, West Bengal, Roy studied at the Calcutta College of Art. His early works were in a western, academic style, and he was particularly influenced by Post Impressionism. However, from 1925, Roy turned to traditional Bengali art for inspiration, adopting the style of folk painters or...