crown

Subscribe Now

FOLLOW US

Sign in

Far from rosy: art that's political, and hits you hard

A retrospective exhibition showcases the works of one of India’s most famous political artists, Chittaprosad Bhattacharya. Far from rosy, late artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya’s works were political, hard-hitting, and known for visually documenting the ’30s and ’40s. Till August 12, some of those iconic creations are being exhibited at a gallery in Mumbai. 1-Untitled - 1951, Brush, pen and ink on paper

Updated on: Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM IST

Share via

Copy link

1/9

A retrospective exhibition showcases the works of one of India’s most famous political artists, Chittaprosad Bhattacharya. Far from rosy, late artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya’s works were political, hard-hitting, and known for visually documenting the ’30s and ’40s. Till August 12, some of those iconic creations are being exhibited at a gallery in Mumbai. 1-Untitled - 1951, Brush, pen and ink on paper

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

A retrospective exhibition showcases the works of one of India’s most famous political artists, Chittaprosad Bhattacharya. Far from rosy, late artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya’s works were political, hard-hitting, and known for visually documenting the ’30s and ’40s. Till August 12, some of those iconic creations are being exhibited at a gallery in Mumbai. 1-Untitled - 1951, Brush, pen and ink on paper

2/9

Naren Das Medium: Brush and ink on paper Period: 1944 First showcased in 2011 in the Capital, Delhi Art Gallery’s (DAG) Chittaprosad: A Retrospective, pays homage to the artist’s political, social and artistic sensibilities.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Naren Das Medium: Brush and ink on paper Period: 1944 First showcased in 2011 in the Capital, Delhi Art Gallery’s (DAG) Chittaprosad: A Retrospective, pays homage to the artist’s political, social and artistic sensibilities.

3/9

The Girl at the Window Medium: Oil on handmade paper Period: 1959 The exhibition mainly focuses on Bhattacharya’s sketches from his book Hungry Bengal, about the Bengal famine of 1943, which was was burnt by the British in the ’40s.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

The Girl at the Window Medium: Oil on handmade paper Period: 1959 The exhibition mainly focuses on Bhattacharya’s sketches from his book Hungry Bengal, about the Bengal famine of 1943, which was was burnt by the British in the ’40s.

4/9

Titvala Medium: Brush and ink on paper Period: 1945 The aspect to look out for in Bhattacharya’s sketches is his eye for detail. Every sketch has a detailed footnote revealing the names of the people, their occupation, ailments, and so on.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Titvala Medium: Brush and ink on paper Period: 1945 The aspect to look out for in Bhattacharya’s sketches is his eye for detail. Every sketch has a detailed footnote revealing the names of the people, their occupation, ailments, and so on.

5/9

Untitled - 1951, Brush, pen and ink on paper During the acquisition of Bhattacharya’s studio, DAG also obtained a massive collection of the artist’s personal memoirs — letters, journals, political manifestos and other documents.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Untitled - 1951, Brush, pen and ink on paper During the acquisition of Bhattacharya’s studio, DAG also obtained a massive collection of the artist’s personal memoirs — letters, journals, political manifestos and other documents.

6/9

Untitled Medium: Ink on Scraperboard Since Bhattacharya was a member of the Communist Party of India, his memorabilia expressed his political temperament through manuscripts and posters replete with satire.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Untitled Medium: Ink on Scraperboard Since Bhattacharya was a member of the Communist Party of India, his memorabilia expressed his political temperament through manuscripts and posters replete with satire.

7/9

Shreenagar, Bikrampur Medium: Pen and ink on paper Period: 1944 Chittaprosad Bhattacharya spent his later life in Mumbai, and during that time, he was actively involved in children’s theatre. Some of the puppets used in his shows are also showcased at the exhibition.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Shreenagar, Bikrampur Medium: Pen and ink on paper Period: 1944 Chittaprosad Bhattacharya spent his later life in Mumbai, and during that time, he was actively involved in children’s theatre. Some of the puppets used in his shows are also showcased at the exhibition.

8/9

Untitled Medium: Brush, pen and ink on paper; Period: 1947 Kishore Singh, curator of the show, says, “When we acquired Bhattacharya’s studio from his family, we also received the only surviving copy of the book, since along with the original books, even the press plates were destroyed (in the ’40s).” DAG has since published a facsimile edition of it.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Untitled Medium: Brush, pen and ink on paper; Period: 1947 Kishore Singh, curator of the show, says, “When we acquired Bhattacharya’s studio from his family, we also received the only surviving copy of the book, since along with the original books, even the press plates were destroyed (in the ’40s).” DAG has since published a facsimile edition of it.

9/9

Untitled Medium: Pen and ink on paper; Period: 1944 The sketches one sees could well reflect images from a village in any other place in India.

Updated on Jul 26, 2014 5:14 PM

Untitled Medium: Pen and ink on paper; Period: 1944 The sketches one sees could well reflect images from a village in any other place in India.

Related Photos

Home/Photos/Lifestyle/Far From Rosy: Art That's Political, And Hits You Hard

© 2026 HindustanTimes