Asit Kumar Halder

Born in the Tagore household, Asit Kumar Halder aptitude for painting developed from a young age. Initiation into the arts under patua Jhareswar Chakravarthi helped him pick many nuances of folk art. Halders greatest mentor was his grand-uncle Rabindranath Tagore who showered him with praises over his exceptional works. While at the Government College of Art, Calcutta, he also trained in sculpture under the tutelage of Leonard Jennings and traditional clay modelling from Jadhunath Pal and Bakkeshwar Pal.

He was one of the first generation artist of the neo-Bengal school who started with painting copies before arriving at his own unique technique. It stemmed from his exposure to the art of Ajanta Caves when he was commissioned to copy the murals by the Indian Society of London. Enchanted, he incorporated a brilliant life-like effect with attenuated delicacy into these paintings that gained worldwide attention. He drew inspiration from the history and culture of India and painted several collections copying the Bagha and Jogimara caves. There was a strong spiritual blend in his paintings drawing from myths, epics and folk tales, linking metaphors and allegories with a simple, lyrical and graceful beauty.

Halder taught at Shantiniketan from 1911-23 and became the first principal of Kala Bhavana. He became a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London in 1934 with the title Rai Shahib conferred upon him. Besides this, he was also a noted writer and poet.