Page 7 - N S Bendre - Selected Works 1935 - 1991

INTRODUCTION

A

luminary in the discourse of Modern Indian

Art, Narayan Shridhar Bendre redefined
artistic expression in the early decades of the

20th century. His unprecedented use of colour

with his innovative adaptation of varied techniques added
a completely new perspective to Indian modernism.

Born on August 21, 1910, Narayan Shridhar Bendre or N S Bendre, as he is
famously known, belonged to a family originally from Pune that had moved to Indore
in the wake of the famine of 1876. Bendre’s art education began in 1929 at the Indore
School of Art, established by the artist D D Deolalikar. The training at the Indore
school placed special emphasis on observing nature in its altering forms. Beginning
with subtle techniques of using pastels, the students gradually progressed to more
versatile and complex mediums like gouache, watercolour and oil.
Another crucial aspect of the curriculum was to refine the ability to perceive
and capture the shifting qualities of light as it transformed through the hours of day
and night. This approach also intended to revitalise the students’ colour sensibilities
with hues inspired by modernist movements and the kaleidoscopic vibrancy of the
Indian landscape in bold sweeping swaths.
In 1933, Bendre completed his art diploma from Bombay (now Mumbai) and
also moved to the metropolis. He had simultaneously pursued his B.A. degree from
Agra University through the Holkar College in Indore, which he completed in 1934.
Once in Bombay, Bendre was joined by his fellow artists from Indore, and the group—
including G M Solegaonkar, D J Joshi, and M S Joshi—came to be informally known
as the ‘Indore Painters.’ Coming into the limelight suddenly around 1934 with their
distinct styles, the group also became a catalyst for brightening the palette of the art
scene in Bombay. While continuing the tradition of open-air paintings of the earlier
period, these artists introduced completely new aspects to their practices, drawn
from emerging modernist movements.
Spectators and critics alike were captivated by their broad, bold brushstrokes.
They also took notice of the selection of non-conventional brilliant colours that were

4 5