Gaganendranath Tagore's Colour International Scientific Series is a small but rather curious work, for it appears to make the simple act of studying colour into a visual experiment. The painting is watercolour on card and is accompanied by handwritten notes on the reverse in which Gaganendranath records combinations of colours that work well together and others that he considers less successful. The work feels almost like a personal exercise book, where the artist tests how different colours behave next to each other. He makes colour the object, not the medium, for describing an object or a landscape. And that small size makes this even more interesting because it feels intimate and practical, like it was something he kept close to him while he was thinking through his ideas. He’s interested in how the way he puts contrasting colours together changes how one colour looks against another. This kind of experimentation also fits Gaganendranath’s broader interest in exploring new ways of making art. He alternated between wash painting, caricature and later geometric compositions, never really attached to a single fixed style. What I find most interesting about this is that the painting allows us to see the artist thinking and not just give us a finished image. The handwritten notes make it personal, like looking over his shoulder as he works. It reminds us that behind the more familiar paintings was an artist constantly testing, observing and working out what colour could do.
Gaganendranath Tagore’s Colour International Scientific Series is a small but fascinating watercolour study that explores the nature of colour. Rather than using colour to describe an object or landscape, Tagore makes colour itself the subject of his experiment. Handwritten notes on the reverse record different colour combinations, showing his interest in harmony, contrast and visual relationships. The small size gives the work an intimate, almost notebook-like quality, suggesting that it was part of his personal artistic experimentation. The work also reflects Tagore’s broader curiosity and willingness to explore different artistic styles, from wash painting and caricature to geometric compositions. Most importantly, it offers a glimpse into the artist’s creative process, showing him testing, observing and discovering how colours interact rather than simply presenting a finished artwork.
