Mother and child

Jamini Roy was one of the pioneer artists to emerge from the post-nationalist era. His greatest contribution was his transformation of the folk and tribal idiom to suit a more 'modernist' purpose. He began his career as an oil painter in the academic style and progressed to painting Santhal women, pilgrims and fakirs. He used bold lines and simple stylised forms to create a highly personal and recognisable visual language.

These works, done in monochromatic tones, are typical of his style from the late 1940s. They represent a definite move away from the narrative, to an emphasis on the compositional elements painted with sweeping brush strokes.