Contents
Jamini Roy
Creating a modern Indian painting style from Bengali folk art and Kalighat traditions.
Ramayana · Bride and Two Companions
- Born
- 11 April 1887
- Birthplace
- Beliatore, India
- Died
- 24 April 1972
More people
Jamini Roy
Jamini Roy was an Indian painter who moved away from academic portraiture toward bold outlines, flat colour and subjects rooted in Bengali life. His work made village artistic traditions central to a modern practice.
Early life
Bengali childhood
Grew up in Beliatore in the Bankura district.
Art school
Studied at the Government School of Art in Calcutta, where Abanindranath Tagore taught.
Career
- 1908
Formal qualification
Completed his fine-art training and began working in academic styles.
- 1920s
A different direction
Turned from commissioned portraiture toward local folk and village traditions.
- 1940s–1950s
Wider recognition
His work was exhibited internationally, including London and New York.
Selected work
Ramayana
A sequence of paintings retelling the epic in a folk-inspired visual language.
Bride and Two Companions
Uses flat colour and strong outlines to depict three women.
Dual Cats with One Crayfish
Reduces its animal subjects to compact, decorative forms.
Beyond work
Local materials
Used earth and mineral pigments and tempera in his paintings.
Accessible art
Wanted his work to reach ordinary households rather than remain confined to wealthy patrons.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Further source: ngmaindia.gov.in ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.