Gaganendranath Tagore was the eldest brother of
Abanindranath Tagore and nephew of Rabindranath
Tagore. Although he was closely associated with
the aesthetic values of the Bengal School he
functioned largely outside its stylistic
influence. His exposure to art practices all
around the world helped him to create a
distinctly original style of painting. At one
hand he was inspired by the Japanese wash
technique and on the other by the cubistic,
futuristic and expressionist trends of European
art practices. In spite of the eclecticism of
his outlook, his vision and technique were very
individual. Gaganendranath’s great sense of
humour and satire found expression in some
remarkable caricatures, which primarily aimed at
commenting on the erosion of social and moral
values under the impact of the colonial rule.
His satires also pinpointed the hypocrisies and
contradictions within society. He was
responsible for establishing ‘Jorasanko (the
Tagore residence) Theatre’ in 1867 and was
actively involved with designing stage settings
and costumes for various plays. Some of his art
works display a remarkable influence of theatre.
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