Modern Indian art

(1) Procession, Benodebehari Mukherjee, Oil on Hardboard

Location: Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Ph-II

Representing a deep understanding of environmental and architectural nuances, this painting highlights a procession of human forms moving in forward thrust. The foreground is conceived with these forms holding dholak and other musical instruments in their hands. Dressed in Indian attire, females in this composition follow the male singers. A lush landscape with flowering trees and huts of villagers form the background. The procession is seen marching all through the painting with people carrying huge chatras or umbrellas in the background. Thick application of colours with a vibrant palette conveys intense happiness, which is also evident on the faces of all the forms.

Reserve Collection

Benodebehari Mukherjee was born in 1904 in Behala, Bengal. He joined Kala Bhavan of Visva Bharti University at Santiniketan in 1919 as a student and then became teacher in 1925. He left Santiniketan in 1949 and moved to Delhi.

He was awarded a Honorary Doctorate degree by Visva Bharti University in 1977, the prestigious Rabindra Puraskar and the Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad award in 1980. despite loosing eyesight, following an unsuccessful eye cataract in 1956, he continued to remain a celebrated muralist and painter.