Haren Das was a prominent printmaker and master of academic naturalism, and unlike his contemporaries who were moving away from realism, he remained faithful to this style throughout his artistic career. While most of his artistic output consists of naturalistic depictions of rural life, he experimented with various kinds of printmaking as part of his teaching duties. These experiments are visible in some of his paintings which move away from naturalism—like this iconic representation of Goddess Kali. He uses a popular form of the Dakshin Kali and adds his own interpretation by giving the deity a crown that covers nearly half the canvas and, indeed, spills beyond it—marking a deliberate exaggeration of the usual iconography. The massive crown becomes Kali’s chalchitra—the semi-circular decorative structure that traditionally girds the idol.
published references
Karode, Roobina, ed., Haren Das: The End of Toil, Prints (1945-1990) (New Delhi: DAG, 2008), p. 122 Karode, Roobina, ed., Manifestations II: Indian Art in the 20th Century (New Delhi: DAG, 2004), p. 78 Singh, Kishore, ed., Manifestations VI: 75 Artists (New Delhi: DAG, 2011), p. 127 Singh, Kishore, ed., The Art of Bengal (New Delhi: DAG, 2011), p. 294 Singh, Kishore, ed., Indian Divine: Gods & Goddesses in 19th and 20th Century Modern Art (New Delhi: DAG, 2014), p. 134
Haren Das
Goddess Kali
1970
Colour etching
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Haren Das
Goddess Kali
1970
Colour etching
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