HPAS 2024 Mains GS-1 Question 1
Evaluate the impact of colonialism on Indian art during the British Raj.
Solution:
The impact of colonialism on Indian art during the British Raj (c. 1857-1947) was profound, complex, and fundamentally transformative. It was a dual-sided impact: it led to the decline of traditional indigenous art by destroying its patronage system, while simultaneously introducing new styles and institutions that led to new, hybrid art forms and, ultimately, a nationalist art renaissance.
1. Decline of Traditional Patronage
The most immediate and destructive impact was the loss of the traditional patrons.
- End of Royal Courts: The British dismantled the Mughal court and annexed or subsidized other regional kingdoms (like Awadh, Tanjore, Murshidabad).
- Loss of Livelihood: The artists, miniaturists, weavers, and sculptors who depended on the “durbar” for their livelihood were left without support. This led to a catastrophic decline in the quality and practice of traditional forms like **Mughal and Rajput miniature painting**.
2. Emergence of New Hybrid Styles
New patrons (British East India Company officials, their wives, and British residents) created a demand for new art forms.
- Company Painting (Kumpani Kalam): This was a hybrid style where Indian artists, primarily from centers like Patna, Murshidabad, and Delhi, adapted their skills. They began using Western techniques like linear perspective, shading, and watercolor (instead of gouache) to create “documentary” style paintings of Indian flora, fauna, festivals, and people for their British masters.
- Academic Realism and Oil Painting: The British established formal art schools (e.g., in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras) that taught European Academic Realism. This introduced oil painting and canvas to India.
The greatest proponent of this was **Raja Ravi Varma**. He famously used Western techniques of oil on canvas and realism to depict Indian mythological and epic themes. His work made art accessible to the masses through oleographs (prints), but was later criticized by nationalists for being “inauthentic” and “theatrical.”
3. Impact on Architecture: Indo-Saracenic Style
In architecture, the British sought to legitimize their rule. After initial phases of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Classical buildings (symbols of pure power), they championed the Indo-Saracenic style.
- This was a hybrid architectural style that combined European forms (domes, arches, clock towers) with Indian elements (chhatris, jalis, minarets).
- It was meant to position the British as the natural successors to the Mughals. Prime examples include the **Victoria Terminus (CST) in Mumbai**, Madras High Court, and parts of Lutyens’ Delhi.
4. The Nationalist Response: The Bengal School
This Westernization of Indian art provoked a powerful anti-colonial, “Swadeshi” backlash. This culminated in the Bengal School of Art, led by Abanindranath Tagore and E.B. Havell.
- They consciously **rejected Western materialism** (like Ravi Varma’s art) and sought to create a “spiritual” and “truly Indian” modern art.
- They drew inspiration from indigenous sources like **Ajanta murals, Mughal miniatures, and Japanese wash techniques**.
- This was the first modern art movement in India and was explicitly nationalist, seeking to reclaim India’s cultural soul.
Conclusion
Colonialism’s impact was a destructive catalyst. It decimated traditional arts by destroying their patronage. However, the introduction of Western techniques and institutions, combined with the colonial project itself, inadvertently sparked a powerful reaction. This reaction, the Bengal School, laid the foundation for modern Indian art by forcing Indian artists to re-discover their heritage and forge a new, modern identity.
Concise Model Answer (150-Word Limit)
Colonialism had a dual impact on Indian art. It first led to the decline of traditional art by dismantling the patronage systems of native courts (Mughal, Nawabs), causing a crisis for artisans and miniaturists.
Simultaneously, it introduced new forms. British patronage created “Company Painting,” a hybrid style where Indian artists depicted local life using Western techniques like perspective. The British also established art schools teaching **Academic Realism**. This was mastered by Raja Ravi Varma, who used oil on canvas for Indian mythological themes. In architecture, the hybrid Indo-Saracenic style (e.g., Victoria Terminus) emerged.
This Westernization provoked a nationalist backlash: the Bengal School of Art. Led by Abanindranath Tagore, it rejected Western materialism and created a modern, “spiritual” Indian art by drawing from Ajanta and Mughal traditions, thus birthing India’s modern art movement.