{"id":2349,"date":"2013-07-13T01:41:03","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=2349"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:41:03","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:41:03","slug":"45-on-art-two-pictures-vol-01-early-cultural-writings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/03-cwsa\/01-early-cultural-writings\/45-on-art-two-pictures-vol-01-early-cultural-writings","title":{"rendered":"-45_On Art – Two Pictures.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tTwo Pictures
\n\t\t\t<\/font><\/b>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tT<\/font>HE<\/font><\/b> Modern Review <\/i>and Prabasi <\/i>are doing monthly a
\nservice to the country the importance of which cannot
\n \t\t\tbe exaggerated. The former review is at present the best
\nconducted and the most full of valuable matter of any in India.
\n \t\t\tBut good as are the articles which fill the magazine from month to month, the whole sum of them is outweighed in value by the
\n \t\t\tsingle page which gives us the reproduction of some work of
\nart by a contemporary Indian painter. To the lover of beauty
\n \t\t\tand the lover of his country every one of these delicately executed blocks is an event of importance in his life within. The
\n \t\t\treviews by bringing these masterpieces to the thousands who
\nhave no opportunity of seeing the originals are restoring the
\n \t\t\tsense of beauty and artistic emotion inborn in our race but
\nalmost blotted out by the long reign in our lives of the influence
\n \t\t\tof Anglo-Saxon vulgarity and crude tasteless commercialism.
\nThe pictures belong usually to the new school of Bengali art,
\n \t\t\tthe only living and original school now developing among us
\nand the last issues have each contained a picture -especially
\n \t\t\timportant not only by the intrinsic excellence of the work but by
\nthe perfect emergence of that soul of India which we attempted
\n \t\t\tto characterise
\n\t\t\tin an article in our second issue.<\/font>1
\n\t\t\t<\/font><\/sup>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tThe picture in the July number is by Mahomed Hakim Khan,
\n \t\t\ta student of the Government School of Art, Calcutta, and represents Nadir Shah ordering a general massacre. It is not one
\n \t\t\tof those pictures salient and imposing which leap at once at the eye and hold it. A first glance only shows three figures almost
\n \t\t\tconventionally Indian in poses which also seem conventional. <\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t1
\nSee “The Awakening Soul of India”, published on pages 61 \u00ad 66 of <\/i>Karmayogin:
\n \t\t\tPolitical Writings and Speeches 1909 \u00ad 1910,
\nvolume 8 of The Complete Works of Sri<\/i> Aurobindo. -Ed.<\/i>
\n\t\t\t<\/font>
\n \t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 455<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tBut as one looks again and again the soul of the picture begins
\nsuddenly to emerge, and one realises with a start of surprise that
\n \t\t\tone is in the presence of a work of genius. The reason for this lies in the extraordinary restraint and simplicity which conceals the
\n \t\t\tartist’s strength and subtlety. The whole spirit and conception is
\nIndian and it would be difficult to detect in the composition a
\n \t\t\tsingle trace of foreign influence. The grace and perfection of the
\ndesign and the distinctness and vigour of form which support
\n \t\t\tit are not European; it is the Saracenic sweetness and grace,
\nthe old Vedantic massiveness and power transformed by some
\n \t\t\tnew nameless element of harmony into something original and
\nyet Indian. The careful and minute detail in the minutiae of the
\n \t\t\tdresses, of the armour of the warrior seated on the right, of the
\nflickering lines of the pillar on the left are inherited from an
\n \t\t\tintellectual ancestry whose daily vision was accustomed to the
\nrich decoration of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri or to the fullness
\n \t\t\tand crowded detail which informed the massive work of the
\nold Vedantic artists and builders, Hindu, Jain and Buddhist.
\n \t\t\tAnother peculiarity is the fixity and stillness which, in spite of
\nthe Titanic life and promise of motion in the figure of Nadir,
\n \t\t\tpervade the picture. A certain stiffness of design marks much of the old Hindu art, a stiffness courted by the artists perhaps
\n \t\t\tin order that no insistence of material life in the figures might
\ndistract attention from the expression of the spirit within which
\n \t\t\twas their main
\n\t\t\tobject. By some inspiration of genius the artist has transformed
\n\t\t\tthis conventional stiffness into a hint of rigidity which almost suggests the lines of stone. This stillness adds
\nimmensely to the effect of the picture. The petrified inaction of
\n \t\t\tthe three human beings contrasted with the expression of the
\nfaces and the formidable suggestion in the pose of their sworded
\n \t\t\tfigures
\n\t\t\taffects us like the silence of murder crouching for his leap. <\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tThe
\n\t\t\tcentral figure of Nadir Shah dominates his surroundings. It is from this centre that the suggestion of something
\nterrible coming out of the silent group has started. The strong,
\n \t\t\tproud and regal figure is extraordinarily impressive, but it is
\nthe face and the arm that give the individuality. That bare arm
\n \t\t\tand hand grasping the rigid upright scimitar are inhuman in  
\n \t\t\t<\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 456<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\ttheir savage force and brutality; it is the hand, the fingers, one
\nmight almost say the talons of the human wild beast. This arm
\n \t\t\tand hand have action, murder, empire in them: the whole history of Nadir is there expressed. The grip and gesture have
\n \t\t\talready commenced the coming massacre and the whole body
\nbehind consents. The face corresponds in the hard firmness and
\n \t\t\tstrength of the nose, the brute cruelty of the mouth almost lost in the moustache and beard. But the eyes are the master-touch
\n \t\t\tin this figure. They overcome us with surprise when we look at
\nthem, for these are not the eyes of the assassin, even the assassin
\n \t\t\tupon the throne. The soul that looks out of these eyes is calm,
\naloof and thoughtful, yet terrible. Whatever order of massacre
\n \t\t\thas issued from these lips, did not go forth from an ordinary
\n\t\t\tenergetic man of action moved by self-interest, rage or blood-thirst. The eyes are the eyes of a Yogin but a terrible Yogin; such might be the look of some adept of the left-hand ways, some mighty Kapalik lifted above pity and shrinking as above
\nviolence and wrath. Those eyes in that face, over that body, arm,
\n \t\t\thand seem to be those of one whose spirit is not affected by the
\nactions of the body, whose natural part and organs are full of
\n \t\t\tthe destroying energy of Kali while the soul, the witness within,
\nlooks on at the sanguinary drama tranquil, darkly approving but
\n \t\t\thardly interested. And then it dawns on one that this is not so
\nmuch the Nadir of history; unconsciously perhaps the artist has
\n \t\t\tgiven a quiet but effective delineation of the Scourge of God, the man who is rather a force than a human being, the Asura with a
\n \t\t\tmission who has come to do God’s work of destruction and help on the evolution by carnage and ruin. The soul within is not that
\n \t\t\tof a human being. Some powerful Yogin of a Lemurian race has
\nincarnated in this body, one born when the simian might and
\n \t\t\t strength of the vānara
\n<\/i>had evolved into the perfection of the
\n \t\t\thuman form and brain with the animal still uneliminated, who
\nhaving by tapasya and knowledge separated his soul from his
\n \t\t\t nature has elected this reward that after long beatitude,
\nprāpya puṇyakṛtām lokān uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ<\/i>, he should reincarnate
\n \t\t\tas a force of nature informed by a human soul and work out in a single life the savage strength of the outward self, taking upon<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 457<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\thimself the foreordained burden of empire and massacre.
\n\t\t\t<\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tFrom Nadir the coming carnage has passed into the seated
\n \t\t\twarrior and looks out from his eyes at the receiver of the order.
\nThe gaze is contemplative but not inward like Nadir’s, and it
\n \t\t\tis human and
\n\t\t\tindifferent envisaging massacre as part of the activities of the
\n\t\t\tsoldier with a matter-of-fact approval. The figure is almost a piece of sculpture, so perfect is the rigidity of
\narrested and expectant action. The straight strong sword over
\n \t\t\tthe shoulder has the same rigid preparedness. There is a certain
\ndefect in the unnatural pose and obese curve of the hand which
\n \t\t\tis not justified by any similar detail or motive in the rest of the
\nfigure. We notice a similar motiveless strain in the position of
\n \t\t\tNadir’s left arm, though here something is perhaps added to the
\nforce of the attitude. A standing figure receives the sanguinary
\n \t\t\tcommand. The
\n\t\t\tfolded hands and the scimitar suspended in front are full of the
\n\t\t\tspirit of ready obedience and there is an expression of pleasure, almost amusement which makes even this
\ncommonplace face terrible, for the decree dooming thousands is
\n \t\t\ttaken as lightly as if it were order for nautch or banquet. The
\nthree mighty swords, by a masterly effect of balanced design, fill with death and menace the terrace on which the men are
\nseated. Behind these formidable figures is a part of the palace
\n \t\t\tgracious with the simple and magical lines of Indo-Saracenic
\narchitecture and in the distance on the right from behind a mass
\n \t\t\tof heavy impenetrable green a slender tapering tower rises into
\nthe peaceful quiet of Delhi.
\n \t\t\t<\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tOn another page of the same review we have a picture by
\none of the greatest Masters of European Art, Raphael’s “Vision
\n \t\t\tof the Knight”. The picture is full of that which Greece and Italy
\nperfected as the aim of Art, beauty and such soul-expression as
\n \t\t\theightens physical beauty. It is beauty that is expressed in the
\nrobust body and feminine face of the armed youth both full of
\n \t\t\tan exquisite languor of sleep, in the sweet face, the voluptuous
\nfigure, the gracious pose of the temptress offering her delicate
\n \t\t\tallurement of flowers, in the other’s grave, strong and benign
\ncountenance, the vigorous physique and open gesture of promise
\n \t\t\tand aspiration extending a book and a fine slender sword, in the<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 458<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tN<\/font>ADIR<\/font> S<\/font>HAH
\n\t\t\tORDERING A GENERAL MASSACRE<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tBy Hakim Muhammad Khan<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t1.
\nNadir Shah Ordering a General Massacre<\/i>
\n \t\t\t<\/b><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t(as reproduced in
\n\t\t\t The Modern Review<\/i><\/b>)    <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tT<\/font>HE<\/font> V<\/font>ISION
\n\t\t\tOF THE<\/font> K<\/font>NIGHT<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tBy Raphel<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t2. Engraving of
\nThe Vision of the Knight<\/i>
\n \t\t\t<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t(as reproduced in The Modern Review<\/i>)  
\n \t\t\t<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tdelicacy of the landscape behind and the tree under which the
\ndreamer lies. There is suggestion but it is the suggestion of more
\n \t\t\tand more beauty, there is harmony and relation but it is the harmony and relation of loveliness of landscape as a background to
\n \t\t\tthe loveliness of the nobly-grouped figures. There is an attempt to express spiritual meanings but it is by outward symbols only
\n \t\t\tand not by making the outward expression a vehicle for something that comes from within and overpowers impalpably. This
\n \t\t\tis allegory, the other is the drawing and painting of the very
\nself of things. Only in the delicate spiritual face of the Knight is
\n \t\t\tthere some approach to the Eastern spirit. This is one kind of
\nart and a great art, but is the other less? Beauty for beauty’s sake
\n \t\t\tcan never be the spirit of art in India, beauty we must seek and
\nalways beauty, but never lose sight of the end which India holds
\n \t\t\tmore important, the realisation of the Self in things. Europeans
\ncreate out of the imagination. India has always sought to go
\n \t\t\tdeeper within and create out of the Power behind imagination, by passivity and plenary inspiration, in Yoga, from samadhi.
\n\t\t\t<\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 459<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two Pictures   THE Modern Review and Prabasi are doing monthly a service to the country the importance of which cannot be exaggerated. The former…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-01-early-cultural-writings","wpcat-49-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}