Ch 8

• At the beginning of the 19th century under the British Raj, Indian art displayed a general decline
• Craft and techniques of fresco and miniature paintings were nearly lost, with miniatures being replaced by European oil painting
• Raja Ravi Varma was famous for his paintings of mythological subjects and portraiture, showing western influence in his oil paintings
• Abanindranath Tagore tried to recreate a new style in painting
• Nandalal Bose, Benode Behari, and others followed a sense of nationalism, leading to the emergence of the Bengal School in the first half of the 20th century
• Artists like Jamini Roy gave a modern form to folk art, while Rabindranath Tagore introduced expression in his painting
• Amrita Shergil drew on both Western and Indian traditions, holding a unique position as the first lady of modern Indian art
• Raja Ravi Varma's painting "Hamsa Damayanti" was painted in 1899 in oil and displayed at the Madras Fine Arts Exhibition, showing Western technique influence
• The painting depicts Damayanti wearing a red Sari, listening to messages from her lover Nala narrated by the swan (Hamsa)
• Amrita Shergil's painting "Brahmacharies" from 1938 shows five male figures symbolizing devotion in the Hindu faith, with a composition emphasizing colour variations and simplicity
• Gaganendranath Tagore's painting "The Atrium" from 1920 is a fine example of Cubist influence, showing a blend of light and dramatic effect with colours