Nandalal Bose (1882-1966) Untitled (Tree) ink on rice paper, framed 35.8 x 49.3cm (14 1/8 x 19 7/16in). Footnotes: Provenance Property from a private collection, USA. Nandalal Bose, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India; Thence by descent to his son, Biswarup Bose, Santiniketan and grandson Supratik; Gifted by Supratik Bose to the vendor; they attended Harvard Business School in the 1970s and became friends. Nandalal Bose (1882-1966), one of Abanindranath Tagore's most celebrated students, became a leading figure in modern Indian art and a defining exponent of the Bengal School. At the Government School of Art in Calcutta, Bose encountered an artistic language shaped by indigenous aesthetics and East Asian techniques, including Japanese brushwork and the morotai method of soft tonal washes and subtle colour gradations. These influences encouraged an economy of line and an atmospheric treatment of nature, which Bose adapted through his own close observation of the natural world. Bose's early works reflect his mentor's influence in their use of ink, water-based media, and subtle tonal gradations, but he expanded these techniques to develop a distinctive personal vocabulary. He employed Japanese methods such as morotai, layered ink washes, and nuanced brushwork to foreground the natural world, making trees, rivers, and landscapes central subjects rather than peripheral scenery. In doing so, Bose helped advance a new approach to landscape in Indian painting, treating nature as an expressive and contemplative subject in its own right. The four works by Bose offered in this auction come directly from the artist's storied collection. They were gifted to the vendor by Bose's grandson and offer a deeply personal glimpse into Bose's artistic legacy. The group comprises two ink-on-rice-paper works and two prints. The two ink-on-rice-paper works exemplify Bose's mastery of line, composition, and tonal subtlety. Each focuses on trees as central subjects, reflecting his sustained engagement with nature and his interest in its spiritual and aesthetic significance. Rather than functioning as mere backdrop, the trees are rendered through careful observation, dynamic rhythm, and expressive form, demonstrating Bose's departure from conventions in which landscape was largely secondary to figure or narrative. The rice-paper surface further complements Bose's technique. The absorbent medium allows for delicate layering of ink washes, creating depth and movement while retaining a light, ethereal quality. Fluid brushwork, rhythmic repetition, gentle curves, and varied textures give the trees a sense of both structure and vitality. The restrained palette and emphasis on gesture imbue the compositions with a quiet monumentality, balancing vitality with serenity. Together, these works reveal Bose's ability to transform close observation of the natural world into an act of contemplation. His treatment of trees and landscape reflects a broader artistic philosophy in which nature was not simply a setting for human activity, but a subject capable of carrying emotional, spiritual, and aesthetic meaning. Through this synthesis of indigenous traditions, East Asian techniques, and personal observation, Bose developed a distinctive modern Indian visual language. The other works from Supratik Bose's collection were sold at Christies on 17th September 2013, as part of The Art of Nandalal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore and Rabindranath Tagore: The Supratik Bose Collection. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing