1, Bankim Chatterjee Street, College Square, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073, India
In the early 1880's, Tagore entered Sanskrit College in Kolkata (present-day Sanskrit College and University), where he remained till 1889.
Gallery of Abanindranath Tagore
28, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India
In 1890, he enrolled at Calcutta School of Art (present-day Government College of Art and Craft), where he received his training in pastel and watercolour under the supervision of Signor Gilhardi and Charles Palmer.
Gallery of Abanindranath Tagore
30, Mother Teresa Sarani, Mullick Bazar, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India
Abanindranath Tagore studied English at St. Xavier's College.
28, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016, India
In 1890, he enrolled at Calcutta School of Art (present-day Government College of Art and Craft), where he received his training in pastel and watercolour under the supervision of Signor Gilhardi and Charles Palmer.
(Nalak is the story of a child hermit, who covers the life...)
Nalak is the story of a child hermit, who covers the life-story of the Lord Buddha, but who is sad, that he could not meet the Lord himself. Abanindranath Tagore, the doyen of modern Indian Painting and Art, infuses the story with poetry and colour, to turn it into a classic.
Abanindranath Tagore was an Indian painter and writer, who represented Bengal School of Art and was considered the father of India's modern art. His popular writings include "Rajkahini", "Budo Angla", "Nalak" and "Khirer Putul".
Background
Abanindranath Tagore was born on August 7, 1871 in Joransanko, Calcutta, Bengal, British India (present-day Jorasanko, Kolkata, India). He was a son of Gunendranath Tagore and Saudamini Tagore. Also, his distinguished Tagore family included his grandfather Girindranath Tagore, who was the second son of "Prince" Dwarkanath Tagore, his uncle Rabindranath Tagore, a poet, artist and musician, and his brother Gaganendranath Tagore, a painter. Also, Abanindranath had a sister, Sunayani Devi, who was also a painter.
Education
In the early 1880's, Tagore entered Sanskrit College in Kolkata (present-day Sanskrit College and University), where he remained till 1889. The following year, in 1890, he enrolled at Calcutta School of Art (present-day Government College of Art and Craft), where he received his training in pastel and watercolour under the supervision of Signor Gilhardi and Charles Palmer.
Also, Abanindranath Tagore studied English at St. Xavier's College.
In the early 1890's, Tagore started to publish his illustrations in different magazines, including Sadhana magazine and Chitrangada magazine. At the time, when he was a student of Calcutta School of Art (present-day Government College of Art and Craft), he was influenced by Mughal art and started to produce a number of works, based on the life of Krishna in a Mughal-influenced style. In his later works, Tagore started to integrate Chinese and Japanese calligraphic traditions into his style.
Some time later, Tagore met Ernest Binfield Havell, a Principal of Calcutta School of Art (present-day Government College of Art and Craft). Ernest was impressed by Tagore's works and offered him a position of a Vice-principal of the School.
In the early 1900's, Tagore met Okakura, a great Japanese artist and art critic, who had come to India. Okakura taught composition to Abanindranath by means of simple shapes, such as matchsticks, emphasizing the need for organic unity in art. In 1903, Okakura returned to Japan and sent his pupils Yokoyama Taikan and Hishida Shunso to Kalkuta, where they interacted with Abanindranath.
In 1913, Tagore's paintings were exhibited in London and Paris, and in 1919, he showed his works in Japan. In his later years, Abanindranath actively traveled throughout India and the countries of South and East Asia. During these trips, he created many works, including his well-known Arabian Night's series, which was completed in 1930.
In subsequent years, Tagore studied different techniques of painting and the foundations of art. His last work was made twenty years before his death. At the age of sixty, Abanindranath decided, that he was no longer able to create something better, than what he had already done and decided to devote himself entirely to teaching.