Clay Images of West BengalCalcutta Notes 4th November 1980 am Kumartuli. great deal of painting going on. A lot of images nearly finished and some even decorated. Mixture of modern and old styles. Prodip's studio a lot of the small images completely finished. Prodip said that the Patuas never did the chal chitras (the Patuas from Kalighat that is). He also said that in only 4 families did the painter paint the entire image-in 3 dutta houses and in one Mitra house. Generally the kumar did all the painting. This year Prodip's boys did Asu Datta's image. One of the kumars was doing a really strange image which was of Govinda going for display only (not for worship)-another image was only made for worship. another image-Kali holding a small Krishna in her arms and Kali's tongue bending down to touch sweet offered in Krishna's hand. This kumar talked of a Kali puja done in chaitra by him/kumars? He also knew of the image (which I described to him) of the Hooghly Agambagish family. Work was beginning on some extremely large Jagaddhatri images. Prodip said that some of the Shaj shops at the beginning of Kumartuli, at the entrance, did chal chitras and pats (they're from Nabadwip?). pm Victoria Memorial. Spoke to several people about Solvyns and eventually to Prof Roy. I was told that there is an article in one of the editions of Bengal Past and Present by HEA Cotton-'Some European Artists in India other than the British'. Also that Solvyns was Belgian (he came from Antwerp). He was around in the late half of the 18th c (1790s) and was interested in the life of the common man in Bengal. He also wrote 'Some Studies on Indian People' published in Calcutta. This has some paintings I think. Also-'Les Hindoos' (in French and English) by Solvyns. He worked under english patronage perhaps. There is also an article in one of the Victoria Museum's bulletins on him. There is an original book of Solyvns paintings under repair in the VM. There's also a Daniells painting under repair depicting the immersion ceremony of Dp. Evening-Kalighat. An extremely large image (red) of Chinamasta was being towed away. Under the feet of Chinamasta-Kama and Rati. 2 additional figs in brown colour-Dakini and Yogini. Spoke to the old chitrakar who said that images were around in Patuapara in his time. He said most of the artists are from E.Bengal. He also talked of Andul (the place where the Dutta family lived) and of Diamond Harbour. It seems to me that these kumars (who are not called kumars but Pal or Chitrakar in Patuapara) are not as sophisticated as the Kumartuli ones. Apparently, according to the old man (and Prodip) Chitrakar and Patua are the same thing. Women and children were painting the images at Patuapara. 5th November 1980 - Patuapara and Ramlal Bazaar 6th November 1980 - Interview with Chunder family 7th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 11th November 1980- Interview with Hatkola Duttas 12th November 1980- Kumartuli and Kalighat 13th November 1980 - Viswa Bharati 14th November 1980 - Patuapara and Kumartuli 15th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 16th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 17th November 1980 - Krishnanagar 19th November 1980 - Calcutta + Dutta family 20th November 1980 - Kumartuli 21st November 1980 - Calcutta State Archaeological Museum 22nd November 1980 - Krishnanagar + Nabadwip 23rd November 1980 - Krishnanagar + Shantipur 26th November 1980 - Mecheda + Tamluk 30th November 1980 - Krishnanagar |