JAMINI ROY (1887-1972) KRISHNA BALRAM & COWS, SIGNED BOTTOM RIGHT, OIL ON CANVAS

Size: 44 x 18 inches

Provenance: Private Collection New York

Footnotes: Born in Beliatore, West Bengal, Jamini Roy, an artistic luminary, commenced his
creative journey at the Calcutta College of Art. Initially ensconced in a western academic
style, he fervently embraced Post-Impressionism, a period marked by his artistic evolution.
However, a transformative shift occurred in 1925, as Roy, driven by a profouhend quest for
cultural authenticity, delved into traditional Bengali art. Embracing the ethos of folk
painters, known as patuas, renowned for illustrating deities and legends, Roy's oeuvre
underwent a remarkable metamorphosis.Venturing beyond the confines of conventional
artistic expression, Roy ingeniously incorporated Christian themes into his later works. The
1930s witnessed the establishment of his workshop, a collaborative space where
apprentices actively contributed to crafting images using a predefined set of motifs. Roy's
visionary endeavour aimed at democratizing art, rendering it accessible to diverse strata of
society, challenging the traditional notion of the solitary creative genius. In this pursuit, he
shared common ground with Western luminaries like Andy Warhol, both envisioning art as
an inclusive and participatory endeavour that transcends individual authorship. Jamini Roy's
legacy endures as a testament to his indelible imprint on the democratization and
diversification of artistic expression.