ASIT KUMAR HALDAR | UNTITLED (PRABHAVATIGUPTA RULING THE VAKATAKA KINGDOM)

Grand-nephew of Rabindranath Tagore, Asit Kumar Haldar was one of the major artists of the Bengal renaissance. His early education included being trained by a traditional patua painter followed by tutelage under Abanindranath Tagore at the Government School of Art in Calcutta. He also learnt clay modeling from traditional artists Jadunath Pal and Bakkeshwar Pal, and sculpture from renowned British-Indian artist, Leonard Jennings. An important career milestone came in 1909 when he, along with Nandalal Bose, was invited by renowned mural expert, Lady C. J. Herringham, to copy the cave paintings at Ajanta. This experience gave Haldar the opportunity to not only study the fresco techniques but also learn about the myriad influences behind these murals and the art of narration in painting. The importance these historical works laid on detail, and on mythical themes had a deep impact on Haldar's work as we see in this current lot. Haldar painted on a series of subjects including the Mahabharata, the life of Gautam Buddha and the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

In this work, Haldar captures Prabhavatigupta, the queen and regent of the Vakataka dynasty, conducting her court with her son, Divakara Sena on her lap. It is a classic example from Halder’s oeuvre incorporating the influence of all his mentors – traditional and contemporary. It epitomizes the qualities that were the hallmark of the Bengal School. The standing of this work in Haldar’s oeuvre can be gauged from the fact that he went on to create prints of this particular image.

Haldar was the first Indian to be appointed as the principal of a Government Art School, Kala Bhavan, followed by the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Lucknow. He was also the first Indian to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London in 1934.