The tercentenary year of Calcutta generated an unprecedented enthusiasm about the city and its well-being among all sections of the people. This enthusiasm found an eloquent expression through the celebration of the occasion in diverse ways by numerous organizations and associations in the year 1991-92. During this time a genuine concern for the city surfaced and an earnest enquiry about its past began. Scholars and journalists were attracted to write on Calcutta's development in the last three hundred years in such varied areas as town-planning, demography, trade and commerce, banking, etc. Many of these studies were made possibly with an eye to see improvements in the living condition of the city. But there were researchers who looked beyond and made enquiries into its contributions to modern India's social and cultural life. It is a matter of real satisfaction that, in view of the interest roused among the scholars as well as common men in Calcutta's colourful past, the Department of Culture of the Government of West Bengal took initiative to hold a large scale comprehensive exhibition on Calcutta's three hundred years in collaboration with a number of important public and private establishments having long association with the city. In this panoramic exhibition a pavilion was allocated entirely to narrate the story of Calcutta paintings of the last three hundred years; and the author of the present book was entrusted to write the script and select the paintings for the pavilion.
It was Bijan Chaudhury, an eminent painter and in-charge of the display of the pavilion, who first suggested to the author to publish a book by utilizing material and information collected for the exhibition for future reference of those interested in art. The proposal was placed before the Department of Culture, and it is a pleasure to state that the department readily accepted it. A book in Bengali, entitled Kalkatar Chitrakala, was duly published and presented to Sri R. Venkataraman, the president of India, at the time of inauguration of the grand exhibition "Calcutta 300" on the maidan in January 1991. This volume is a revised version of that Bengali book.
The book in its hundred-odd pages presents an illustrated history of the pictorial art of Calcutta in a simple style to reach the largest possible number of readers so that they become aware of the city's rich heritage in the sphere. The book is introductory in nature and as such has no claim to a scholarly work. The merit of the book however lies in its endeavour to offer for the first time a connected account of Calcutta's activities in painting from the beginnings to the present time. The different schools and styles of painting are discussed in time-frames, setting each of them to its socio-political and ideological background.
It is profusely illustrated with reproductions of representative paintings to help the reader to appreciate their stylistic and technical changes through decades. If the work succeeds in drawing attention of the art-loving public towards the varied and ever-changing tradition of Calcutta paintings, the author will consider that his effort is amply rewarded.
In the preparation of the work the author has received helps from some leading scholars, artists and institutions of the city. He takes this opportunity to express his gratitude to them. He is especially thankful to Sri A. N. Bhattacharya, Director of Culture, Government of West Bengal, Sri S. K. Chattopadhyay, Joint-Director, and Sri S. Roychoudhury, Deputy Director of the same department, for the interest they have shown in publishing the book in such a commendable get up.
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