Nepal Landscape

Benode Behari Mukherjee was an Indian artist of Bengali descent from the Bengal School of Art was one of the most important figures of Contextual Modernism. Mukherjee's painting style was different from others. Benode took inspirations from Chinese and Japanese paintings and used the wash technique and also learnt the way Eastern Asian countries like China and Japan depicted the natural surrounding like trees and forests. He spent months in Japan between 1937-38, learning calligraphy and studying Japanese paintings and he also met with exemplary artists like Ari Kampo and Yokoyama Taikan. He also took inspirations from Giotto, Tawaraya Sotasu's paintings and from the fresco and murals of Ajanta and Mamallpuram. Mukherjee's paintings revolved around natural landscapes and certain times candid portraits of people. He also travelled to Nepal as a curator in a museum in Kathmandu by Nepal Government and painted a lot of Nepalese life including the landscape and daily lives of the Nepalese. Benode mostly used watercolour and ink for his works. "Nepal Landscape" or "Mountain Landscape" is yet another example of his exceptional artwork. The painting depicts mountains, swirling clouds, houses and a temple in distance with a man in a traditional Nepalese attire carrying a bag on his back and most probably a woman behind him. Mujherjee has wonderfully painted the hill side settlement of Nepal with watercolours and ink showing the serene and tranquil beauty of Nepal's natural atmosphere. He used soft was technique and gentle lines to enhance the painting. Mukherjee has used warm earthy colours for this painting like green,brown and soft blue. The painting was made during Benode's time in Nepal showcasing his deep observance skills and confidence while using wash technique combined with ink. The painting presents to us cultural insight with the addition of the temple in the background along side the natural beauty of Nepal and the mountain spirits of the Himalyan terrain creating a sense of tranquility in the viewers minds.