Abanindranath Tagore

Abanindranath Tagore

Abanindranath Tagore was an Indian artist and writer who lived from 1871 to 1951. Tagore was the first Indian artist to garner worldwide recognition and is often referred to as one of the father’s of modern Indian art. He founded the principles which formed the Bengal school of art.

Tagore was born in Calcutta to a wealthy and distinguished family. His uncle was the noted Indian poet, musician, artist, and Nobel Prize recipient, Rabindranath Tagore. Both his brother and grandfather were also artists. Tagore began his formal art education when he was just 11 years old at Sanskrit College. When he turned 20 in 1890, he left Sanskrit College to continue his education at the Calcutta School of Art.

Tagore’s career began in the 1890s when several of his illustrations were published in magazines. Tagore also illustrated his own books, using watercolors and tempera to create these works. Most of his writings were children’s books. His art and stories elevated the craft. Though Tagore learned the European academic styles of art, he became heavily influenced by the Mughal style of art. The Mughal Empire ruled a majority of the Indian subcontinent between 1526 and 1707. This empire had developed its own school of art which focused on miniature art pieces. It consisted of a unique combination of stylistic features from neighboring regions, such as incorporated into their own.

Tagore wanted to modernize Indian art not only to revitalize it, but to compete with the fast-growing popularity of Western art within India. He saw western art as materialistic. Tagore believed it lacked the spiritual depth that was a prominent feature of Indian art. Tagore subsequently started the ‘Indian Society of Oriental Art’. This was eventually accepted and taught across India. Even the British art schools in India included it to express more progressive Indian values. This school was part of the Swadeshi movement, the Indian nationalism and independent movement that sought to remove the British from their country.

Tagore’s school also helped to form the Bengal school of art. This was a nationalistic art movement that helped pave the way to modern art in India. In this school, Indian artists were encouraged to portray themselves in their art as they saw themselves, as opposed to the western view of “Orientalism”. In 1930, Tagore’s legacy was solidified when he achieved national and worldwide success from the publication of his illustration series based on the ‘Arabian Nights’ stories.

Abanindranath Tagore died in 1951 at 80 years old.

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