Painting is silent poetry and poetry is a speaking picture. You come away with this feeling after seeing his works. Broad brush strokes, simple forms, flat colours and an emphasis on lines. The paintings of Jamini Roy leave one bemused long after one has taken eyes off them.
Hyderabadis have got an opportunity to see the works of the celebrated painter for the first time. Thanks to the Salar Jung Museum (SJM), now one can look at some of the well known and critically acclaimed paintings of Roy, a household name in Bengal. In collaboration with Reflection of Another Day (RAD), Kolkatta, the SJM is showcasing the original paintings of Roy to mark his 128{+t}{+h}birth anniversary.
In all, 72 paintings, including his letters and photographs, are on display. They give an insight into the different phases of the artist’s works – vibrant landscapes, bold-lined Santhal women, rhythmic Radha Krishna, colourful Christ and well-composed farmers. The exhibition is open to the public from May 18 to 31.
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Even during his lifetime, Roy was reluctant to exhibit his work outside his own studio in Kolkata. “But we are able to get the paintings to Hyderabad, thanks to the courtesy of a private collection,” says J. Kedareswari, Curator (Education), SJM.
Interestingly, SJM doesn’t have a single painting of Jamini Roy unlike other national museums. Born in a small village in Bankura district of West Bengal in 1887, Roy spent his childhood under extreme poverty. However, the art-based atmosphere around him – patuas, potters and wood carvers – ignited his creative streak. He joined the Calcutta School of Art in early 20s at a time when the spirit of nationalism against the British was sweeping through Bengal. “His depiction of ornaments, fabrics, handloom saris, hairdos, body decorations with sandalwood paste is notable,” says Dr. Kedareswari.