A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c15.s8.t2.6

c15.s8.t2.6

‘The subjects chosen by the Calcutta painters,’ he observes, ‘are taken from Indian history, romance, and epic, and from the mythology and religious literature and legends, as well as from the life of the people around them. Their significance lies in their distinctive “Indianness”. They are, however, by no means free from European and Japanese influence. The work is full of refinement and subtlety in colour, and of a deep love of all things Indian; but, contrasted with the Ajaṇṭā and Mughal and Rājput paintings which have in part inspired it, it is frequently lacking in strength. The work should be considered as a promise rather than a fulfilment. So regarded, it has very great significance for the future of Indian Art.’²