Gaganendranath Tagore

Gaganendranath Tagore (1867–1938) was a key figure in the evolution of contemporary Indian art and a member of the prominent Tagore family of Jorasanko. He was the elder brother of Abanindranath Tagore and a cousin of Rabindranath Tagore and grew up in an atmosphere of artistic and intellectual experimentation. His interests ranged from painting to photography, to lithography, theatre and book illustration, reflecting the breadth of creative practices that influenced his artistic career. He was one of the founders of the Indian Society of Oriental Art and participated in the movement to preserve the artistic heritage and crafts of India during the colonial period. His own artistic practice was equally diverse, ranging from Japanese inspired brushwork and watercolours to caricature, satire and later experiments with Cubism. His employment of humour and caricature from 1916 to 1918 was especially significant as he made a critical commentary on the social and cultural conditions of contemporary Bengal. Gaganendranath’s successful combination of indigenous art traditions and elements of Western modernism has placed him among the unique modern Indian artists of the early twentieth century.

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