Bikash Bhattacharjee was born in Kolkata in 1940 and graduated from the Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship, Kolkata in 1963. His works were inspired by his early childhood and environment.
His subjects were often portraits of people from the politically charged atmosphere of Kolkata and were often representatives of their class and included various depictions of the female form.
Realism being Bhattacharjee’s forte, he could capture the light perfectly making the canvas come to life. His paintings often showed the struggles of poverty and socio-economic unrest that surrounded him.
Source: Sotheby’s 2018
UNTITLED (ROOFTOPS)
Signed and dated 'Bikash' 64-72' lower right
Oil on canvas
32½ x 68⅝ in. (82.8 x 174.3 cm.)
Painted between 1964-72
Sold : 125,000 USD
Arun Bose, his teacher at Dharmatala Art School (Indian College of Art and Draughtsmanship) often encouraged the students studying there to take on ‘outdoor study’ expeditions.
While the rest of the students went to the zoo, the botanical gardens, and the ghats, Bikash Bhattacharjee preferred less scenic areas of Calcutta. He would often wander through the lanes and smaller bylanes of North Calcutta, looking for decaying buildings and neighborhoods. The landscapes are often devoid of human figures and the architectural structures make it look uninhabitable.
Source: Sotheby’s 2015
UNTITLED
Signed 'Bikash' upper left
Oil on canvas
47¾ by 33 in. (121.2 by 83.8 cm.)
Painted in 1964
Sold : 75,000 USD
The artist grew up in his maternal uncle’s house in North Calcutta after his father died while he was still a young child. Bikash Bhattacharjee was inspired by the crumbling ruins of the buildings, narrow lanes and rooftops of the city.
Source: Sotheby’s 2018
UNTITLED (ROOFTOPS)
Signed and dated 'Bikash' 64' lower right
Oil on canvas
49⅝ x 46¾ in. (126.4 x 118.8 cm.)
Painted in 1964
Sold : 87,500 USD
He witnessed partition and independence while he was a young child and lost his father at the age of six. This left him with a sense of struggle and empathy for people less privileged than him. The socio-economic changes that were happening in India at that time deeply affected him and his art.
Styles, mediums and subject matter did not restrict him as he was truly a multi-faceted artist. His version of surrealism involved a message, a twist, a questioning of the normal realistic image. He is quite unique as an artist and can possibly be compared to Rene Magritte. Though the hugely differentiating factor is the message or the perspective versus the focus on the object.
The original photograph was taken by Bikash Bhattacharjee from the family archives.
His works have a sense of formal clarity, and excellent execution with detailed textural and tonal compositions. He is considered to be a draughtsman of the highest caliber. While his work may not immediately make sense to the viewer, the artist makes the most mundane subject matter look vivid, and raises a lot of questions.
One of his early works, showcasing his immense skill, is up for auction on the 17th of November:
Bikash Bhattacharjee
Untitled (Cityscape)
1964
Oil on canvas
Starting Bid: INR 30,00,000
Estimate: INR 40,00,000 - 50,00,000
