“What profoundly attracted me was the uniqueness of his creation, a lively curiosity in his constant experiments, and some mysterious depth in their imaginative value”
( Rabindranath Tagore on his nephew Gaganendranath Tagore in 1938)
Introduction
Gaganendranath Tagore was one of the most prominent and renowned figures in the history of modern Indian art. Born in the Tagore family of Jorasanko, Gaganendranath (also known as Gagan Thakur) was a well known cartoonist and painter belonging to the Bengal school who is also considered to be the pioneer of cubism in India, contributing to the development of modern Indian art in the early 20th century. Gaganendranath sought to blend the aspects of Western art and Indian art, which resulted in the formation of a distinct and unique style.
Early Life
Born in the reputed Jorasanko Tagore family, Gaganendranath was the nephew of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and the brother of Abanindranath Tagore. Coming from a family that dominated the social and cultural landscape of Bengal in the 19th-20th century, Gaganendranath was no exception and went on to pursue his career as an artist, costume designer, and actor. The career of Gagan Thakur coincided with the art movement called the Bengal School of Art, which facilitated a distinctive new “Indian” style of painting in the 20th century, led by E.B. Havell and Abanindranath Tagore. The movement was closely linked to the Swadeshi Movement, becoming the voice of the nationalist upsurge through its pictorial representation. Gagan Thakur, since his childhood was exposed to the intellectual and cultural milieu which helped in shaping his artistic sensibilities and creativity. Gagan Thakur had to stop his formal education due to his father’s sudden death. On his mother’s initiative, Gagan Thakur started to receive training in oil painting from Harinarayan Bose. Then, from 1906 to 1910, he learnt the Japanese brush and ink wash techniques, where he was majorly influenced by the works of Yokohama Okakura and Tykan Taiwokan.
Artistic Foundations
Gagan Thakur’s early paintings, as mentioned above, were influenced by the Bengal School. Unlike his brother, Abanindranath Tagore and his uncle, Rabindranath Tagore, Gagan Thakur did not get much recognition. But his pioneering works on satire and cubism are indeed noteworthy in the field of modern art in India. Gagan Thakur, along with his brother Abanindranath Tagore, established the Indian Society of Oriental Art in 1907, giving the Bengal School an institutional base. Gagan Thakur’s works can be categorized into certain time periods- Calcutta landscapes(1905-1911), the Chaitanya series (1911-1915), cubist experimentations and satirical paintings, also known as the Vichitra Period, which dominated the 1920s. The application of the Japanese brush and ink wash technique is best illustrated in his paintings for Rabindranath Tagore’s autobiography Jeevansmriti(1912). His paintings represent his idea to engage with Indian mythology, culture, socio-political norms and also cater to global influences like cubism. The wide array of Gagan Thakur’s work, from his early life to later adaptations, uncovers symbolic and thematic elements or motifs present in his paintings.
1. Nature and Landscapes
Gagan Thakur’s paintings feature representations of forests, mountains, waterfalls, rivers, etc. His early paintings also consisted of sketches of seascapes and landscapes, incorporating the Japanese technique and using sumi-e ink drawing( a sort of black ink method of painting). He went on to draw the serene landscapes of Calcutta, Puri and so on, sometimes depicting everyday scenes of life. His “Himalaya” series between 1910-1921 is one of the most acclaimed sets of paintings by Gagan Thakur, where he sought to project the ethereal beauty of the Himalayas, accompanied by sharp and angular forms of painting.
2. Spiritual Motifs
Religious figures and rituals were one of the main components of Gagan Thakur’s early paintings. His series Chaitanya Charitamrita features the ecstatic devotion of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a prominent figure of Vaishnavism. His interest in the story of Chaitanya is believed to have started when he listened to kirtan songs being sung in the house after his son’s tragic death. These paintings evoke a kind of spiritual reverberation, highlighting the key events and legendary tales of Chaitanya’s life. Unlike other artists’ engagement with the Ajanta and Mughal paintings, Gagan Thakur developed his own vision to depict the picture on a simple and original line. The works stand as an example of Gagan Thakur’s effort to blend spirituality with modernist technique. Apart from this, the motif of spirituality is also present in the Pilgrim series, where Gagan Thakur illustrated various scenes of pilgrimage and religious architecture. “Cluster of Puri Temples” (1915) is a significant work in this regard.
3. Satire and Caricature
The period between 1915-21, Gagan Thakur’s engagement with satirical caricature is very much evident, through which he established a socio-political critique of society. His satirical paintings exposed the underlying absurdities of the colonial state as well as the western-educated Indian elites. It is said that Gagan Thakur’s interest in comedy and satire arose due to his involvement in the Bichitra Club, where he played an active role as an actor and costume designer. The series published by Gagan Thakur, were Adbhut Lok( Realm of the Absurd), Virupa Vajra (Strange Thunderbolt) and Naba Hullod (Reforms Screams), which are some of his early drawings on caricature and satirical representation.
One of the most repetitive themes in this regard was the representation of the “Babu”, who was basically the anglicized Bengali elite. The “Babu” culture did face several criticisms from society, including certain literary texts like those of Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay, Bhabanicharan Bandyopadhyay, Kaliprasanna Sinha and in paintings such as the Kalighat Patachitra. Apart from this, he critiqued some of the existing societal norms, the most prominent among them being the caste system and the hegemonic position of the Brahmins.
4. The influence of Cubism
Gagan Thakur’s encounter with cubism began in the 1920s, and he is considered to be the first Indian painter to experiment with cubist and abstract forms, giving it an indigenous touch. He published his first set of cubist form paintings in the magazine “Rupam” (1922), associated with the Indian
Society of Oriental Art. In these paintings, there is a dominant theme of fragmented and deconstructed representations of landscapes, events, and some others, with the usage of vibrant color. Cubism was pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in 1907. Gagan Thakur modified it to make it a platform for visual
narration constructed in geometric shapes. The application of light and shadow in his cubist experiments is very much evident. Stella Kramrisch, in her article The Indian Cubist, acknowledged Gagan Thakur’s contribution to the introduction of Cubism in India. The article was published in the journal “Rupam” in 1922.
Other Works and Reception
Paintings after 1925 are known as the post-cubist phase of Gagan Thakur, which marked the culmination of his artistic career, synthesizing his different painting styles into one. The motif of mysticism and surrealism is dominant in the later works, which were mostly in black and white. Dwarkapuri, Nandini, and Jagadish Chandra Bose are some of his later works. Between 1914 and 1928, exhibitions in Paris, Berlin and London were held where Gagan Thakur’s paintings were displayed. Beyond his career as a painter and cartoonist, he also compiled a children’s book titled Bhodor Bahadur. In addition to this, he also took a keen interest in taking part in theatrical plays as a costume designer. His works are conserved in some of the museums in Kolkata today, such as the Victoria Memorial Hall.
Conclusion
Gaganendranath Tagore’s works marked a significant departure from the Bengal School and initiated a new modernist art style in the realm of India’s culture. His deliberate effort to fuse the art styles of the Orient and Occident into an individualistic style was indeed noteworthy. The relevance of the concepts of “cultural hybridity” and “third space” by the postcolonial theorist Homi K Bhaba is seen in this regard, where he demonstrates the intersection of different cultures, leading to a distinctive cultural identity. Gagan Thakur passed away in 1938, but the legacy he left is still celebrated and acknowledged today. His works expanded the boundaries of Indian art, establishing an innovative approach.
References
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2.Bhabha, Homi K. 2004. The Location of Culture. Routledge.
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