Jamini Roy (1887 - 1972)

Jamini Roy (1887 - 1972) Born in the Bankura district of Bengal, Jamini Roy was one of the most significant and influential painters of the 20th century. Jamini Roy studied painting in the Government School of Art, Kolkatta. Here he learned academic methods that were in vogue in the west He started his career as a portrait painter in European Tradition but soon took to the traditional style of folk and village arts. He cultivated a style of his own that was largely inspired by the folk and village arts of Bengal. Through his oil painting, he gave expression to the scenes of the everyday life of rural Bengal. He used cheap indigenous pigments for his paintings so that the poor could also have easy access to his works. His first solo art exhibition was held in Kolkatta in 1929 with financial assistance from artist Mukul Dey. Like many of the paintings of the time Jamini Roy's work was also influenced by Abanindranath Tagore. Jamini Roy earned fame as an artist by evolving his own language of painting that he termed as the "Flat Technique".

He selected themes from the joys and sorrows of everyday lifer life and religious themes like the Ramayana, Radha Krishna, Sri Chaitanya. He also painted scenes from the lives of the aboriginal Santhals. Some of his Famous paintings are Santhal Boy with Drum, Cats sharing pa prawn, Makara, etc.