NANDALAL BOSE (1882-1966)

"Beyond his contributions to the early Swadeshi movement between 1905-1910 as a leading light of the Bengal School, Nandalal Bose saw to the cultural regeneration of Indian art in terms of rediscovering India's past, incorporating a much wider variety of Pan-Asian elements including calligraphic line, monochromatic ink painting, Daoist concepts of the pervasive life force (Ch. qi) and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. He produced his works with a constant thought to a divine underpinning - the joyousness of the creative play of God pervaded all of his works, especially the thousands of drawings on postcard." (S. R. Quintanilla, 'Beyond the Bengal School: Nationalism and Cultural Regeneration in the Art of Nandalal Bose', Orientations, Hong Kong, vol. 39, no. 2, 2008)