Jamini Roy remains one of the most easily recognised artists of the country because of his distinctive signature style that bordered on the folk. Roy epitomised the restlessness among his generation of Indian artists wanting to break free of their European academic training and its overwhelming influence, to create a truly Indian syntax for modern art. He turned to the patua artists of Bengal, including those of Kalighat, to develop a stylisation and a narrative that captured the earthiness of the characters in his art. In this work, he presents two cats—playful yet competitive—fighting for a lobster that they both want to claim.
published references
Singh, Kishore, ed., The Art of Bengal (New Delhi: DAG, 2012), ill. p. 258
Singh, Kishore, ed., A Visual History of Indian Modern Art: Volume Three, Revivalism and Beyond (New Delhi: DAG, 2015), ill. p. 522
Singh, Kishore, ed., Untitled (Christ): Jamini Roy | Masterpiece XXXIX (New Delhi: DAG, 2018), ill. p. 39
Singh, Kishore, ed., Iconic: Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art Edition 01, Volume II (New Delhi: DAG, 2022), ill. p. 460
Jamini Roy
Untitled
Tempera on cardboard
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Jamini Roy
Untitled
Tempera on cardboard
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