Mountain scene at Kurseong
Painting
ca. 1920 (made)
ca. 1920 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The scene is painted on a postcard. The landscape depicts a view as seen from the hotel room of the artist on a visit to Kurseong (near Darjeeling). The watercolour is executed in a wash technique which gives an atmosphere of space and timelessness. The artist used a Japanese style inscription in red in the bottom left hand side as his signature. (The meaning of the Japanese characters is 'drawn by.')
The postcard was sent by the artist to Roop Krishna Esq where he wrote "My dear Rup, I went up to Kurseong with Alok and this is a sketch done from the hotel.I got your letter after coming back. Tojo is down with fever for last 7 days. Hope you are well." Postmark dated 26 April (the year is unclear).
Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) was the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of Art. In his paintings, he sought to counter the influence of Western art as taught in art schools under the British Raj, by modernizing indigenous Moghul and Rajput traditions. His work became so influential that it was eventually accepted and regarded as a national Indian style. Later, studying Japanese art under Japanese artists, Taikoan and Hilsida, Abanindranath assimilated Far Eastern techniques such as the wash into his work.
The postcard was sent by the artist to Roop Krishna Esq where he wrote "My dear Rup, I went up to Kurseong with Alok and this is a sketch done from the hotel.I got your letter after coming back. Tojo is down with fever for last 7 days. Hope you are well." Postmark dated 26 April (the year is unclear).
Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) was the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of Art. In his paintings, he sought to counter the influence of Western art as taught in art schools under the British Raj, by modernizing indigenous Moghul and Rajput traditions. His work became so influential that it was eventually accepted and regarded as a national Indian style. Later, studying Japanese art under Japanese artists, Taikoan and Hilsida, Abanindranath assimilated Far Eastern techniques such as the wash into his work.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Mountain scene at Kurseong (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in watercolour on cardboard |
| Brief description | Painting, mountain scene at Kurseong, by Abanindranath Tagore, watercolour on postcard, India, ca. 1920 |
| Physical description | Watercolour painting on postcard, this landscape depicts a view as seen from the hotel room of the artist on a visit to Kurseong (near Darjeeling). There are hills in the foreground, an isolated tree in the middle ground and mountains and clouds in the distance. The painting is executed in a wash technique which gives an atmosphere of space and timelessness. There is a Japanese style inscription in red in the bottom left hand side which is the artist's signature. This scene is painted on a postcard which was sent by the artist to Roop Krishna Esq, c/o Ramakrishna and sons Booksellers, Anarkali St. Lahore. The message on the reverse reads: "My dear Rup, I went up to Kurseong with Alok and this is a sketch done from the hotel.I got your letter after coming back. Tojo is down with fever for last 7 days. Hope you are well." Postmark dated 26 April (the year is unclear). |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Hilly landscape. |
| Marks and inscriptions | [Signature on left hand side in red ink Japanese characters] (The meaning of the Japanese characters is 'drawn by.'
A.Tagore and his contemporaries were particularly influenced by Japanese art.
For this reason, we can infer that A.Tagore's Japanese signature was used to complement his Japanese technique and style.)
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| Object history | Purchase. RF 84/866. Purchased on behalf of the V&A by Indar Pasricha from Sotheby's on 18-04-84 together with I.S. 123,125 to 129 - 1984. |
| Historical context | Abanindranath Tagore (1871 - 1951) was the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of Art. In his paintings, he sought to counter the influence of Western art as taught in art schools under the British Raj, by modernizing indigenous Moghul and Rajput traditions. His work became so influential that it was eventually accepted and regarded as a national Indian style within British and international art institutions. In his work, Abanindranath retrieved themes from the Indian epic past or scenes from romantic tales, such as Arabian Nights or Omar Khaiyam and reworked them in a highly romanticised style. The artist’s desire to emancipate Indian art from European influence was also fostered by Japanese artist Okakura Kakuzo, who visited him in 1902. Later, studying Japanese art under Japanese artists, Taikoan and Hilsida, Abanindranath assimilated Far Eastern techniques such as the wash into his work. His Omar Khaiyam series (1906-08) reflects such influences. Abanindranath’s use of colour was also highly personalized and found its appropriate language in two major techniques: wash and tempera. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The scene is painted on a postcard. The landscape depicts a view as seen from the hotel room of the artist on a visit to Kurseong (near Darjeeling). The watercolour is executed in a wash technique which gives an atmosphere of space and timelessness. The artist used a Japanese style inscription in red in the bottom left hand side as his signature. (The meaning of the Japanese characters is 'drawn by.') The postcard was sent by the artist to Roop Krishna Esq where he wrote "My dear Rup, I went up to Kurseong with Alok and this is a sketch done from the hotel.I got your letter after coming back. Tojo is down with fever for last 7 days. Hope you are well." Postmark dated 26 April (the year is unclear). Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) was the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of Art. In his paintings, he sought to counter the influence of Western art as taught in art schools under the British Raj, by modernizing indigenous Moghul and Rajput traditions. His work became so influential that it was eventually accepted and regarded as a national Indian style. Later, studying Japanese art under Japanese artists, Taikoan and Hilsida, Abanindranath assimilated Far Eastern techniques such as the wash into his work. |
| Bibliographic reference | Dr Ratan Parimoo, The paintings of the three great Tagores: Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore and Rabindranath Tagore. Chronology and comparative studies, 1973 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.124-1984 |
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| Record created | July 15, 2003 |
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