Teach and tell: The gurus of art

Some of India’s greatest artists have also been teachers, but have they merely handed over a tradition or inspired fresh thinking?

Sep 10, 2016, 06:04 IST10 min
1/23
&lsquoAlphabet Stories II&rsquo (2002-03), gouache, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and crayon on paper[Gulam Mohammed Sheikh]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
2/23
Abanindranath Tagore(1871-1951)Taught at: Government School of Art, Calcutta, as vice-principal Abanindranath Tagore&rsquos influence as a teacher can hardly be restricted to his alma mater...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
3/23
&lsquoVinayak Masoji&rsquo (1938), pastel and charcoal on cardboard[Abanindranath Tagore]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
4/23
KG Subramanyan(1924-2016)Taught at: Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University, Baroda, and Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University, SantiniketanManida&mdashas this Keralite, who adopted Santiniket...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
5/23
&lsquoStill Life with Mangoes&rsquo (1961), oil, sticks and stones on canvas pasted on plyboard[KG Subramanyan]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
6/23
KCS Paniker(1911-77)Taught at: Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, of which he was principal Referred to as a child prodigy for his early start as an artist, Paniker went on to form t...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
7/23
&lsquoPicture in Yellow and Blue&rsquo (1964), oil on canvas[KCS Paniker]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
8/23
Nandalal Bose(1882-1966)Taught at: Kala Bhavana at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, on Rabindranath Tagore&rsquos persuasion Abanindranath Tagore&rsquos student, who went on to outsh...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
9/23
&lsquoFlute player&rsquo (1937), tempera on paper[Nandalal Bose]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
10/23
Sankho Chaudhuri(1916-2006)Taught at: Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University, Baroda, and visiting fellow at Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, and Banaras Hindu University,...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
11/23
&lsquoTribute to Bhabeshda&rsquo (1992), bronze[Sankho Chaudhuri]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
12/23
NS Bendre(1910-92)Taught at: Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University, Baroda Along with Gulam Sheikh, NS Bendre was the kind of teacher who encouraged students from different backgrounds to joi...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
13/23
Untitled (&lsquoA Village Fair, Rajgir-Bihar&rsquo), water colour on paper[NS Bendre]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
14/23
Rameshwar Broota(b. 1941)Taught at: College of Art, Delhi he serves as Head of Department at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi Many artists have passed through Rameshwar Broota&rsquos mentorsh...
Image by Courtesy MAP / Tasveer
15/23
Untitled (1974), oil on canvas [Rameshwar Broota]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
16/23
MV Dhurandhar(1867-1944)Taught at: Sir JJ School of Art, Bombay (now Mumbai), of which he became both headmaster and vice-principal Trained by the British artist John Griffiths, Dhurandhar ...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
17/23
&lsquoPortrait of the Artist&rsquos Wife&rsquo, oil on canvas[MV Dhurandhar]
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
18/23
[Untitled by Ramkinkar Baij]There have been numerous teacher-artists whose works have survived time, or whose teaching skills have proved to be legendary. One of the most interesting of the...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
19/23
[Untitled by BC Sanyal]BC Sanyal (1901-2003) established the Lahore School of Art, which became an important centre of education and practice, and went on to teach art at Modern School, New...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
20/23
[Untitled by Jeram Patel]At the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, two artists who influenced numerous students were Nasreen Mohamedi (1937-90) and Jeram Patel (1930-2016). Patel, known for maki...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
21/23
[Untitled by Nasreen Mohamedi]Nasreen Mohamedi was no different, and it is only with her recent showing in New York that she has begun to get due credit. ...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
22/23
[Untitled (&lsquoMarket&rsquo) by Sailoz Mukherjea]In New Delhi, Sailoz Mukherjea (1906-60) taught landscape art at the Delhi Polytechnic (later College of Art, Delhi), and among his star p...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
23/23
[Untitled (&lsquoCycle of Life&rsquo) by Sarada Ukil]Bengal style artist Sarada Ukil (1888-1940) taught at Modern School and with his brothers Ranada and Barada went on to teach artists in ...
Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives

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