Japanese Inspiration in the Art of Nandalal Bose

Abstract

This article explores the impact of Japanese art and its techniques on the work of Nandalal Bose (1882–1966), one of India’s pre-eminent artists, by locating specific influences from leading Japanese artists of his era, with whom he had close associations during his lifetime. It builds a case for the argument that despite being a staunch advocate for indigenous aesthetics, the depth and versatility of Nandalal’s artistic oeuvre was rooted in his ability to absorb select practices from other artistic cultures, specifically the Japanese, enabling us to connect the origins of India’s modernistic art practices principally to him. The article draws attention to the stylistic and ideological learning that he acquired during interactions with master artists from Japan, including Yokoyama Taikan, Hishida Shunsō and Arai Kanpō and demonstrates the significance of these Japanese influences to both Nandalal’s artistic life and, as a direct result, to the stylistic direction taken by Indian art in the mid-twentieth century.