Various organizations have been working for the advancement of art. From the pages of history, we learn that the first such organization in Calcutta was founded in 1830, named the Brush Club. At that time Prince Dwarakanath Tagore was at the forefront among several Indian and British entrepreneurs. Its lifespan was short. Over time, many organizations were established one after another, but with short lifespans. The Indian Society of Oriental Art founded in 1907, is the only one that remains active to this day. In recent time, one of the active institutions of this kind is Prinseps.
Prinseps was established in 2016. This Latin word means ‘first’ or ‘foremost’. Prinseps, primarily an auction house, also undertakes various contemporary initiatives to promote, expand and advance art and culture. For instance, facilitating the sale of artworks, reviving lost art history, bridging art with technology, organizing exhibitions, and bringing forgotten legendary artists back into the spotlight. A while ago, under the initiative of Prinseps, a grand solo exhibition of the distinguished artist Gobardhan Ash (1907-1996) was held at the gallery of Kolkata Centre for Creativity. Another such visionary yet relatively overlooked artist is Sunil Madhav Sen (1910-1979). Under the management of Prinseps, an exhibition featuring artworks from different phases of his career is set to take place.
_(1).jpg)
Sunil Madhav Sen (Image Source: Google)
My acquaintance with the renowned artist Sunil Madhav Sen began through my writings on art. I used to visit his house at 52 C, Hindusthan Park, in South Kolkata. His studio was situated in a room on the second floor of this house. While sitting in that room, I have heard many stories about his life and art. He took his last breath on November 10, 1979. But I continued to visit the place until his wife Shrimati Aruna Devi’s demise. After her death (January 15, 1997), all my ties with that childless family came to an end.
Sunil Madhav Sen was born on 17 August 1910, in Purulia. Sunil Madhav was the fourth of six sons of his father Jatindranath, a civil servant, and his mother, Prabhavati Sengupta. He lost his mother at the young age of five. Due to work, his father had to travel from one place to another, even across countries. For this reason, he spent his childhood under the care of his grandfather. At the age of six, he moved to Bankura. He got admitted to the district school there. In 1922, his grandfather Harinath Roy passed away. Sunil Madhav moved from Bankura to his residence on Jagadish Roy Lane in Calcutta. In 1923, he was admitted to the Scottish Church Collegiate School. Alongside his studies, he attempted to depict his favourite subjects using charcoal drawing. In this regard, he was particularly inspired by the clay idol sculpting of the patua, Ananta. Whenever the topic came up, Sunil Madhav would say,
“I still can’t forget that enchanting idol I saw in my childhood. I have seen so many artworks, created so many paintings, yet it feels like nothing compares to that. It is the memories of those twelve years in Bankura that have shaped me into the Sunil Madhav Sen of today.”
Additionally, the nature and the culture of the Rarh region deeply inspired the artist’s mind.
After finishing school and college, Sunil Madhav successfully passed the law examination with distinction in 1937-38 and started his legal practice as a junior to Ramaprasad Mukherjee, the son of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee. But he could not quite find interest in this work. At that time, he used to feel invigorated by painting. On the other hand, at different times, the company of Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951), Jamini Roy (1887-1972) and Atul Bose (1898-1977) expanded his artistic vision. At the beginning of his artistic career, he was particularly drawn to portrait painting. He has embodied the objective reality of form through diverse modes of expression. He has drawn multiple portraits of Swami Vivekananda and Shri Ramkrishna. Additionally, his noteworthy portraits include those of (the eminent writer) Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay, (social reformer) Raja Rammohan Roy, (poet) Rabindranath Tagore, (freedom fighter and poet) Sarojini Naidu, and (novelist) Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, among others. In the painting of ‘Mary and Jesus’, inspired by Raphael’s artwork, the beauty and elegance of the form are vividly expressed. In 1948, the artwork ‘Cleopatra’ earned widespread appreciation at the annual exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta. This exhibition did not include any portrait work. No information is available about who possesses these works or where they are now.
Krishna and Radha, Oil Painting
He was not getting satisfaction from drawing the portraits. Through numerous experiments, he modified both the style and the medium. He began to use oil colors in a different way. He meticulously applied a delicate layer of oil paint upon the paper, subsequently immersing it in a solution of turpentine and zinc for one or two days to achieve the desired effect. Once the paper had thoroughly dried, he would proceed to render his illustrations upon its surface. Thus, the oil painting attained a softness, translucency and grace reminiscent of watercolor art. In this regard, the artwork ‘Two Girls Husking’ is particularly noteworthy. This distinctive technique was a groundbreaking innovation, uniquely devised by Sunil Madhav Sen. It was in this very way that in the fifth decade of the twentieth century (1950s), he committed himself to the solemn quest for his singular artistic vision.
He also undertook meticulous research into the very nuances of form and structure. He harmoniously integrated sheets of metal onto the canvas, maintaining a rhythmic balance with the colours. In his compositions, he also combined oil paints with glue and intricate mosaic work. Among the works from this period, ‘Large Head’ (a glue painting), ‘Primitive Force’ (a mosaic painting), and ‘Primitive Seal’ (a painting incorporating metal leaf) stand out as exemplary specimens. These creations bear the distinct aura of ancient relics, evoking the essence of antiquity. The hues evoke the appearance of old oil paintings, dulled and deepened to a darkened tone with the passage of time. In this regard, one may turn their gaze towards four distinguished works displayed in the Academy- ‘Dholvadika’ (The Drummer Woman), ‘Nrityapara Nari’ (The Dancing Woman), ‘Sinhashane Upabishtha Nari’ (The Woman Seated Upon a Throne), ‘Dandayaman Nari’ (The Standing Woman). In addition to his masterful use of colour, his employment of low-relief techniques has transformed these paintings into the forms that verge upon three-dimensional sculpture. A harmonious synthesis has been achieved by blending the essence of ancient Indian sculpture with modernity.
Nrityer Tale
This truly creative artist never remained constrained by any singular paradigm or preconceived vision. Time and again, he had shattered such confines, forging ingenious artistic techniques and novel modes of expression. Yet, in every instance, he endeavoured to unveil the profound essence of the inner life, rather than merely depict the external world. The delicate interlacing of fine lines, reminiscent of woven mats, combined with the taut precision of geometric forms on the surface, has culminated in his artworks, where the depth of folk tradition finds a profound synthesis with the principles of Cubism. The standing figure, articulated through the fragmentation of color and line, maintains a structural grace that resonates with the same artistic sensibilities. Paintings created entirely in the folk style are - two passengers adrift in a boat, a dancing woman sketched upon a newspaper, and a man whose visage is painted on the musical instrument. Among the several figures painted on a background designed like traditional ‘nakshi kantha’ patterns, the paintings of a tiger, two people and a bird are particularly eye-catching. With minimal use of color and delicate lines, there is a wonderful revival of folk simplicity in the paintings of Shiva-Parvati or the two fairies eager to eat an apple. One of the other attractions of this exhibition is a set of six faces. As the saying goes, ‘Face is the index of mind’- it's indeed true. A closer look at the paintings reveals that emotions such as anger, sorrow, resentment, serenity, surprise and compassion are vividly and effectively portrayed on the faces. Among these, three faces have been created with lines, resembling Van Gogh’s style- like fragmented, short and textured strokes. The other three have emerged, illuminated from an almost shadowy atmosphere. The bloated, massive, naked body in the artwork looks sculptural, almost like an intricately carved figure. Two completely formless abstract paintings represent another distinctive aspect of the creation- both in terms of ideals and theory.
Girl With Bird, Oil Painting
In the formation of the paintings, the importance of lines is immeasurable. The contribution of line is significant in the arrangement, composition and creation of destiny of objects. It is truly astonishing to see how the artist, without any formal education, has infused rhythm and expression by arranging and connecting the lines of different characters. In this context, the renowned sculptor Prodosh Dasgupta stated,
“I have seen the paintings. They were somewhat diverse, but there was an undeniable strength in the drawing. What appealed to us most was his untrained yet skilled craftsmanship, which we believed would lead him far with his own individual expression. We invited him to become a part of our group. In 1951, Sunil Babu was selected as a member of the Calcutta Group” (Smritikatha Shilpakatha : Prodosh Dasgupta, Pratikshan Publication Pvt. Ltd. October 3, 1986).
In this context, Sunil Madav Sen’s illustrations in Hemchandra Bhattacharya’s translated version of the Valmiki Ramayana can be mentioned. The illustrations done by the artist, in perfect harmony with the theme, are undoubtedly explanatory through imagery and add to the overall aesthetic appeal.
The Calcutta Group played a crucial role in the progression of modernism in Indian art. Prodosh Dasgupta (1912-1991), Kamala Dasgupta (1915-2001), Gopal Ghosh (1913-1980), Nirode Mazumder (1916-1981), Paritosh Sen (1918-2008), Pran Krishna Pal (1915-1988), Subho Tagore (1912-1985), Rathin Maitra (1913-1997) and Gobardhan Ash (1907-1996) and several others were the members of this group. The group was active from 1943 to 1953. Sunil Madav joined this art organization in 1951. His artistic vision broadened significantly through the mutual discussions and interactions with the members of this group. Although the artist, in the early phase of his life, had copied the paintings of eminent Western masters such as Raphael, Picasso, Rembrandt, Goya, Renoir, Rubens, and others, through this, he mastered many artistic techniques, which greatly aided his advancement.
Musafir
Lacking a formal education from an art college, Sunil Madav perhaps suffered from a sense of unfulfillment, and it seems this very dissatisfaction drove his ceaseless quest. I have already mentioned that time and again he deconstructed the artistic form and crafted new structural expressions. That’s why there is such a wide diversity in his creations. He drew elements from Western classical art, European modernism, folk art, Cubism, Nakshi Kantha embroidery, Tantric symbolism, primitive art and stained glass windows of churches to create a series of paintings, all marked by his unique style and expressions. His creations reflect a novel form of imaginative expressions - illuminated by light and shadow, infused with an ineffable beauty, and blending the mundane with the transcendental. The paintings seem to be a mirror of his artistic vision.
I have had the opportunity to witness much of the artist’s extensive collection of works. Especially in 1997, prior to writing about his life and artistic journey, I came across 507 artistic pieces that had been preserved in his house. Their current whereabouts and ownership remain unknown. The artist’s first solo painting exhibition was held in 1950 at 1, Chowringhee Terrace, Calcutta (Kolkata). Afterwards, a number of solo and joint exhibitions took place both nationally and internationally. Sunil Madhav Sen took his last breath in Calcutta on 10th November 1979 after suffering a heart attack. In the following year, 1980, a major exhibition showcasing the artist’s works from different periods was organized at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata. After that, in 1988, a solo painting exhibition was organized at ‘Gallery 88’. This upcoming exhibition is significant because, after nearly 36 years, art enthusiasts will have the opportunity to admire the creations of an almost forgotten creative genius. Prinseps has meticulously facilitated the viewing of these paintings, for which we are profoundly grateful. Hopefully, this exhibition will allow the viewers to rediscover and comprehend the rich diversity in the works of the nearly forgotten artist Sunil Madhav Sen.
Translated from Prasanta Daw's note on Sunil Madhav Sen
REFERENCE
সুনীল মাধব সেনের রূপলোক - প্রশান্ত দাঁ
