Untitled [Set of 4 Various Rare Classical Books on Indian Art]
a) Manu Thacker and G Venkatachalam, Present Day Painters of India, Bombay: Sudhangshu Publications, Shantaram Lane, Malabar Hill. Printed at Commercial Printing Press, Fort, Bombay, [1950]
pp. xiv, 111 + 1 portrait and 29 plates
pp. xi- xiv is 'In Memoriam' for Manu Thacker who had died by the time the book came out and has a black and white portrait facing p. xi. The book covers the following 29 artists in two parts. The first part, by Thacker, covers the following 15 artists:
Jagannath Ahivasi, Syed Ahmed, N S Bendre, Vajubhai Bhagat, Shiavax Chavda, Ishwar Dass, Rabindra Dutt, K K Hebbar, Manohara Joshi, Ravishankar Raval, S H Raza, Morarji Sampat,
Madhukar Seth, Yagnesh Shukla, Bhanu Smart.
The second part by Venkatachalam covers the following 14 artists:
Manishi Dey, Pulin Behari Dutt, Dhiren Gandhi, Gopal Ghosh, Abhay Khatau, Prannath Mago, Kshitin Mazumdar, Pratima Devi, Jamini Roy, Bhabesh Sanyal, Lalit Mohan Sen, Amrita Sher Gil, Y. G. Srimati, A D Thomas. The essay about each artist is preceded by a painting by him.
Bound in beige cloth with a horse motif embossed in red.
10 x 7.5 in (25.5 x 19 cm)
b) P R Ramachandra Rao, Modern Indian Painting, Madras: Rachana, 1953
[a-h] + tipped-in frontispiece + 100 pages, including 21 of 22 colour plates tipped in across the text + 43 plates with 203 reproductions of paintings in black and white + 38 pages of French résumé by Marcella Hardy; beige cloth-covered boards feature orange lettering on the front and spine with decorative end papers.
12.75 x 10 in (32.5 x 25.5 cm)
The book delves into various facets of modern Indian painting, covering topics such as:
Historical Background: An exploration of the evolution of Indian painting leading up to the modern era.
Impact of Britain: Analysis of British influence on Indian art and the subsequent adaptations.
Bengal School: A study of the Bengal School's contributions to modern Indian art.
New Horizons: Insights into emerging trends and new directions in Indian painting.
Santiniketan: Examination of the Santiniketan school's role in shaping modern art in India.
Western School: Discussion on the Western Indian school's impact on contemporary art.
Calcutta Group: Analysis of the Calcutta Group's influence on modern Indian painting.
Delhi: Overview of Delhi's art scene and its contributions.
Madras School: Study of the Madras School's role in the evolution of Indian art.
Epilogue: Concluding thoughts on the state and future of modern Indian painting.
Comprehensively covers the entire gamut of artists from the Bengal School and Santiniketan to the Western School, Calcutta Group, Delhi, and Madras School with a chapter discussing Chughtai, Rabindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, and Sher-Gil. But prudery has prompted the publishers to tamper with two nudes by Sher-Gil and F N Souza.
c) Karl Khandalavala, Indian Sculpture & Painting, Bombay: D B Taraporevala Sons and Co., Circa 1940
182 including 21 tipped colour plates and 111 black and white photographic plates; original cloth binding
14.75 x 10.25 in (37.34 x 26 cm)
d) Karl Khandalawala and H J Stooke, The Laud Ragamala Miniatures: A Study in Indian Painting and Music, Oxford: Bruno Cassirer, 1953
66 pages including 18 plates, 8 in colour; hardbound with dust jacket
10.25 x 6.25 in (26 x 16 cm)
(Set of four)