Untitled

The craftsmanship of terracotta toys with their endearing simplicity appealed to Jamini Roy who transformed these forms into the subject of his paintings while retaining their childlike innocence. Like his human or mythological figures, they were bestowed with bold outlines and stylised eyes that appeared to ‘float’ in a manner that is usually associated with his practice. The subject he painted most often—based on a local folk tale—was the prawn- or lobster-hunting cat, but the other creatures, whether cow or bird, owl or elephant, or indeed the horse—itself borrowed from the Bankura tradition—had a toy-like appeal that attracted both children and adults equally. Roy, who eschewed his Western training in art in favour of the art of the soil, found his strength lay in his ability to convey aesthetic and powerful pictures through minimal but strong, clean strokes, as evident in these works.