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Jamini Roy was born in Bankura district in present-day West Bengal, which is the home of the famous terracotta Bankura horse; to this day, the Bankura horse continues to be one of the most well-known ambassadors of India’s local arts and crafts. In this tempera work, Roy pays tribute to the bright red equine, characterised by an erect posture and alert ears. The simple yet decisive lines with which he creates the horse, indeed, is a characteristic feature of the terracotta figures too—an element that endeared Roy in the first place to forego his Western training in art and adopt the local artistic traditions, and create timeless art.