Nirode Mazumdar

Nirode Mazumdar (11 May 1916 – 26 September 1982 ) was an Indian painter from the first generation of modernists, and a key member of the Calcutta Group.

Almost a forgotten figure today, he strode the art scenario from the 40's like a colossus.

Long before his other contemporaries recognised the importance of symbolism, he applied them generously to achieve his philosophical and artistic aspirations.

His paintings are based on what he called 'constructive symbolism'.

A significant artist of the last century, he was almost a cult figure amongst the art fraternity and a titan of 20th century modernism.

Nirode Mazumdar was born to Prafulla Chandra Mazumdar and Renukamoyee Mazumdar on 11 May 1916 at Calcutta.

Prafulla Chandra used to serve in the police department.

Renukamoyee had a keen literary interest and thus Nirode Mazumdar was exposed to literary activities and trends from his childhood.

Nirode Mazumdar was born into one of Calcutta's most prominent artistic and culturally elevated families-the Mazumdar family of seven siblings.

He grew up in an atmosphere of intense creativity.

His parents were originally from Taki, a town in the 24 Parganas district (now in North 24 Parganas district), but the family shifted to Calcutta.

Nirode spent his childhood and adolescence in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India with his elder brother.

At the age of six years, he started his studies in a school called "Bishnupur Shiksha Sangha" in Bishnupur with his elder brother Kamal Kumar but dropped his formal studies before completing high school.

For sometime, he studied Sanskrit in a Tol at Kalighat.

Nirode Mazumdar was the younger brother of renowned Bengali novelist Kamal Kumar Majumdar, their younger sister Shanu Lahiri (1928-2013) was also a noted painter and art educator.

Nirode Mazumdar was admitted into the Indian Society of Oriental Art in Calcutta in 1929 while he was only a mere boy of 13 and had his first education under Kshitindranath Majumdar,a student of Abanindranath Tagore.

After he finished his course at the Indian Society of Oriental Art in 1939, Mazumdar was awarded the Norman Blount Memorial Award for his artistic skill.

However, while studying under Abanindranath, Mazumdar was showing signs of disapproval and rebellion with how outdated the Bengal School was in keeping up with the socio-political climate at that time.

"As a young man he was involved in their search for roots. At the end of his period of apprenticeship with Abanindranath, he rose up in revolt. He felt the school was a gymnasium that taught students the futile methods of rendering the classics in paraphrase."

Much later, we get a more clear understanding about his complex relationship with Abanindranath Tagore and the Bengal School from 'Smritir Collage- A Collage of Memories' the memoirs of his sister Shanu Lahiri-

"From time to time Niru-da would take some of his paintings and visit Abanindranath Tagore. Abanindranath was then associated with the Oriental Art School. “Here comes Lanky!” Abanindranath would exclaim as soon as he saw Niru-da. “Get him here, let’s have a look at his paintings.” Niru-da would show his latest work: might be a composition of Rajasthani women walking in a graceful rhythm with three pots balanced one atop the other on their heads. “Why so many pots?” Abanindranath would say. “Well, there’s never enough water in Rajasthan, so the women always walk with as many pots as they can balance.” “No, no! We’ll manage quite well with one pot. No point having so many. This is a painting! You must paint only so much as will look good in the painting.” Niru-da would tell me many years later, “We have hardly had an artist with the kind of knowledge of painting that he had. It was only Abanindranath who understood the relationship of painting to Nature, and how the ‘real’ object was transformed in painting.” I’ve heard Niru-da say that Abanindranath’s was as temperamental as a zamindar.

If he happened to fly into a rage he might say “Get out of here!” But the very next moment he might invite you affectionately to have a meal.

And then for a couple of minutes, he would have a long pull on his gar-gara.

Such heavenly fragrance would fill the air and the sky.

Their home hosted a long procession of eminent people.

It was an absolutely inspiring environment.

Niru-da also had many occasions to meet Gaganendranath amidst the crowd at the Tagore household." The fact that Nirode Mazumdar along with the artists of his generation felt that the Bengal School was out of touch with current trends of the country and abroad like The Bengal Famine and the World War, was instrumental in the formation of The Calcutta Group in 1943.

In 1946, he received a scholarship from the French government to study painting in France.

Mazumdar entered Paris during its golden period, Artists like Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse and Constantin Brâncuși were at the helm of their careers, students from across the world were flocking to Paris as it was the Mecca for the art world, studying at the various academies and studios, engaging in the café culture where long discussions on art with fellow students and friends took place.

Mazumdar quickly became one of them.

He studied and worked in the studio of French artist André Lhote, in Paris.

Between 1946 and 1951, Nirode Mazumdar stayed is in Paris, and worked in different Parisian studios and participated in various exhibitions of foreign painters mainly at the École des Beaux-Arts.

In 1946 Nirode Mazumdar had his first one-man show in Calcutta.

In 1949, he had a one-man show at Paris, which was presented by the art critic and poet Stanislas Fumet.

In the same year 1949, he has an opportunity to visit Holland and to learn, in Utrecht, the technique of engraving which later on would have a bearing on his art.

He left France for England in 1951 and there, he took part in exhibitions organized by the Indian High Commission in London, group shows, held at the India House and worked for some time as a curator of the art gallery there.

At the same time, he studied General History of Art along with 19th and 20th century painting at the École du Louvre.

In Paris, Nirode Mazumdar actively embraced the French culture.

He liked Paris so much that even when his term at the Louvre was over, he decided to stay on in Paris.

The scholarship having ended, Nirode was forced to take on a school teacher's job.