Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
India

Historian B N Goswamy passes away

Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Nov, 2023 02:36 PM
  • Historian B N Goswamy passes away

Chandigarh, Nov 17 (IANS) Known for his path-breaking work on Pahari paintings, internationally-acclaimed art historian and an authority on miniature painting, Chandigarh-based Brijinder Nath Goswamy, passed away on Friday following prolonged ill health.

Recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards, 90-year-old Goswamy, fondly called BNG in art circles had authored more than 26 books.

A former civil servant who quit the services in 1958 to dedicate himself to academics and research, Goswamy took immense interest in the social background of painters from Kangra and spent a considerable time in far-flung villages of Himachal Pradesh to get a better understanding of the artists who created Pahari paintings.

Learning the Takri Pahari script, he began focusing on family styles, looking in detail for the technique, narratives, and composition.

“All my life I have striven to bring the painter out of obscurity. I want him in the front row. He must be under the spotlight. But how does one do that? Isn't art anonymous?

“Sadly, there is no proper documentation, the artist just appears like a firefly in the dark. We must peep into the mind of the artist, identify his processes, develop respect, and decipher.

“Then, we get to know about the sociological and cultural facts of that era. You see, an art historian needs to be a compound of a camel, hawk, ant, and peacock. He must have the memory of a camel, the eye of a hawk, be industrious as an ant, and learn to enjoy art like a peacock. After all, it's not botany, right?” he had said.

His ‘Wonder of the Age, Master Painters of India, 1100-1900’, an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York showcased a new dimension of Indian art to the world.

For someone who taught himself the Pahari script in order to get a rounded view of the work he was doing, he always felt that it was paramount for a teacher and researcher to go into the field, read, study, interact with people, learn new languages, and understand one’s roots.

Always stressing on the need for archiving and preserving, His last lecture was held in Chandigarh on October 26 on his latest book, 'The India Cat: Stories, Paintings, Poetry and Proverbs.'

Delving into the stories fables from Panchtantra, Jatakas, Katha Sarita Sagar, he created a picture of how cats were viewed in India and how they found an important place in Indian art.

MORE India ARTICLES

Air India flight to London returns to Delhi after unruly passenger 'harms' 2 cabin crew members

Air India flight to London returns to Delhi after unruly passenger 'harms' 2 cabin crew members
The Air India flight AI 111 scheduled to operate on the Delhi-London-Heathrow route returned shortly after departure. An FIR was lodged as the accused person allegedly misbehaved and caused physical harm to two of the cabin crew members.

Air India flight to London returns to Delhi after unruly passenger 'harms' 2 cabin crew members

India reports 5,880 new Covid cases

India reports 5,880 new Covid cases
The daily positivity rate was at 6.91 per cent while weekly positivity rate stood at 3.67 per cent as per the data released by the Ministry. The active caseload currently stands at 35,199. The recovery rate is at 98.73 per cent.

India reports 5,880 new Covid cases

Three arrested for swapping ATM cards to cheat people in Delhi

Three arrested for swapping ATM cards to cheat people in Delhi
The accused were identified as Sonu Kumar, 27, his brother-in-law Sandeep, and Jony alias Rocky, all residents of Haryana. Police said that they have recovered 113 ATMS cards of various bank, and two PayTm machines from the possession of the accused, and claimed to have solved 14 cases of cheating with the trio's arrest.

Three arrested for swapping ATM cards to cheat people in Delhi

Punjab's agriculture expected to grow by 3.70 per cent: Minister

Punjab's agriculture expected to grow by 3.70 per cent: Minister
The livestock sector, he said, with rapid growth is becoming a major contributor to the growth of the agriculture and allied sector. "The livestock sector is likely to grow by 4.18 per cent in 2022-23," Cheema said, while adding the livestock sector's share in total Gross State Value Added (GSVA) of Punjab was 11.1 per cent during 2022-23.

Punjab's agriculture expected to grow by 3.70 per cent: Minister

PM to flag off Delhi-Jaipur Vande Bharat train on April 12

PM to flag off Delhi-Jaipur Vande Bharat train on April 12
The regular service of this Vande Bharat Express will start from April 13, and it will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantonment, with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon. The launch of the express train comes just eight months before the state goes for assembly polls.

PM to flag off Delhi-Jaipur Vande Bharat train on April 12

India: Covid fresh cases cross 5k-mark

India: Covid fresh cases cross 5k-mark
The Health Ministry said that till now 220.66 crore Total Vaccine doses (95.21 cr Second Dose and 22.87 cr Precaution Dose) have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive. 1,993 doses were administered in the last 24 hours.

India: Covid fresh cases cross 5k-mark