Rabindra Chitra Chetana

• Author: শানু লাহিড়ী (Shanu Lahiri)
• Publisher: PAnanda Publishers
• Language: Bengali
• Edition: Hardcover
• ISBN: 9788177569490
• Pages: 118

Book Description:

রবীন্দ্রচিত্র-চেতনা (Rabindra Chitra Chetana) is a deep exploration of Rabindranath Tagore’s artistic vision and style, written by renowned contemporary artist শানু লাহিড়ী (Shanu Lahiri). In this book, Lahiri reflects on his first encounter with Rabindranath in 1938-39 at Santiniketan, where he witnessed the poet in the serene sunlight, exuding a timeless, almost sculptural presence. This moment in his youth laid the foundation for his lifelong exploration of Rabindranath’s art.

The book delves into Rabindranath’s paintings, highlighting the paradox between his literary works, which often emphasize peace, welfare, and spirituality, and his paintings, which reveal an undercurrent of darkness, unease, and tension. Lahiri observes that many of Rabindranath’s paintings seem to express an unknown emotion, one that does not speak but rather gazes. Through his extensive artistic experience, Lahiri seeks to decode the enigmatic qualities of Rabindra’s visual art and examine the deeper psychological and emotional layers within his creations.

In রবীন্দ্রচিত্র-চেতনা, Lahiri's perspective as a painter enriches the reader's understanding of the complexities and mysteries of Rabindranath’s paintings, offering new insights into his artistic mindset and stylistic evolution.

About the Author:

শানু লাহিড়ী (Shanu Lahiri) was born in 1928 in Kolkata. He is a graduate of the Government Art College, Kolkata, and continued his studies at the Académie Julian and École du Louvre in Paris. From 1979 onwards, Lahiri taught at Rabindra Bharati University, where he later became a professor and head of the Visual Arts Department. He was awarded an honorary D.Litt. from Rabindra Bharati University in 2003. Lahiri’s contribution to art has been recognized through various awards, including the President’s Award (1950), the Michael Madhusudan Award (1988), the Aban Award (2008), and the Prabha Khaitan Award (2008). His published works include স্মৃতির কোলাজ (Memory Collage), জীবন যেখানে যৌবন (Where Life is Youth), and এঁদো গলি থেকে বেণিমাধব (From the Crooked Lane to Beni Madhav).