Banyan tree at Jorasankho (Jeevan-smriti)

Gaganendranath Tagore’s Banyan Tree at Jorasankho (1912), painted for the illustrations of Rabindranath Tagore’s Jeevan Smriti, transforms a familiar tree into something much larger and more atmospheric. The banyan tree occupies almost the whole sheet, its thick trunk, spreading branches and tangled mass of leaves suggesting a great weight and age. The use of brush and ink instead of colour, by Gaganendranath makes the contrast between the dark and heavy parts of the tree with the lighter areas around it very prominent. The branches appear to extend beyond the edges of the paper, suggesting a largeness to the tree that goes beyond the small image itself. There is something a little mysterious, as well, in the darkness under the branches. Instead of labouring over every leaf, the artist lets the ink pool in soft, fluid blobs, giving the tree a sense of movement, without making it feel less solid and rooted. This treatment is obviously influenced by Japanese ink painting, especially in the use of a few controlled strokes to suggest a much larger form. What makes the painting so appealing is that it does not read like a simple botanical study. The banyan has an association with memory and place, and is an appropriate illustration for Jeevan Smriti, Rabindranath’s recollections of his childhood and the Jorasanko household. The tree is almost a presence itself, quiet and familiar, but also a little mysterious.