Artist profile · Saraswati Foundation collection
Jamini Roy
A landmark Indian modernist whose art grew from Bengal folk traditions, Kalighat painting, terracotta, and village patua practices.
Awards & honours
- Viceroy’s Gold Medal (1935)
- Padma Bhushan (1954)
- Fellow of Lalit Kala Akademi (1956)
- His works were declared national treasures in 1976
Biography
Born on 11 April 1887 in Beliatore, Bengal, Jamini Roy studied at the Government School of Art, Calcutta, graduating in 1916. He was initially trained in British academic painting before developing a modern style rooted in Bengal folk traditions, Kalighat painting, terracotta, and village patua practices. His best-known subjects include mother and child, Krishna, Christ, Santhals, and animals. He died on 24 April 1972.
