CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF WOMEN’S DEPICTION IN MODERN INDIAN PAINTINGS

Abstract

This study critically examines the diverse approach of male and female artists in the portrayal of women in the context of Indian paintings. Until the early 20th century, women have been executed in paintings to serve a stereotypical imagery in socio-religious context. They have been displayed as the patriarchal society wanted them to be displayed. Historically, the artists behind representation used to be male-only, because women had been deprived of and neglected from, painting. The female bodies have been manipulated and dominated to channelize the exiting display of male power through such representation. The projection was prevalent until the arrival of female artists and, after that; a sudden change has come in that stereotypical image of women. The concept of the female body was subjugated and overpowered by female artists to question the prevalent imagery. Subsequently, both the male and female artists are creating two opposing identities of women in their paintings which is taken as a research problem for this study. Four Indian modern artists have been taken as a case study to observe the portrayal of women from Pre-Independence to Post-independence period. The difference has come through the intervention of Amrita Sher-Gil when she relocated female identity with her conceptual themes without giving emphasis on beauty and erotic appeal alone. Contrary to it, Ravi Varma offered a new stereotype of popular female imagery through his paintings, which is followed till the contemporary age. The imagery is only meant for beauty and seduction and sometimes gives an impression of European influence. In this context, the paintings of Ravi Varma and Amrita Sher-Gil have been analyzed to observe the origin of an identity crisis in the depiction of women in modern Indian paintings. Additionally, the paintings of Francis Newton Souza and Gogi Saroj Pal have been observed through a comparative analysis. Gogi Saroj Pal is a contemporary feminist artist. Her paintings represent a radical approach in the projection of women. Francis Newton Souza is known for the depiction of his voluptuous and sensuous nudes, covered with highly erotic and seductive lure. The thesis has been divided into seven chapters. The first chapter gives the introduction to the topic of this thesis in respect of female representation by male and female artists. It also describes the adopted research methods, objectives, and future scope of the study. The second chapter examines the previous studies in the chosen area and then shows the existing gap in the reviewed literature. viii The third chapter is based on a survey on the representation of women from pre-historic to contemporary Indian paintings. The chapter basically shows the changing roles of women as a subject of paintings. Women have been mainly associated with non-significant roles until female artists came forward to criticize or to subvert this universal notion of female sexuality. The chapter also helps to understand the ideology of male and female representations after focusing some of the major male and female artists of modern Indian art. In the fourth chapter, a comprehensive evaluation of the paintings of Ravi Varma and Francis Newton Souza has been carried out to trace the impact of gender, sexuality, subjectivity, and objectivity in their execution of women. The fifth chapter seeks to observe the paintings of Amrita Sher-Gil and Gogi Saroj Pal through a critical approach. After comparing their works, it is observed that Amrita Sher-Gil helped to construct an identity of women which left a deep impact on various female artists, including Gogi Saroj Pal. Although they have a different style in their respective field, they are connected on the same platform of feminism and gender politics. The sixth chapter represents the basic difference between the works of Francis Newton Souza and Gogi Saroj Pal in the depiction of women. The differences have been found in the body postures of the figures, backgrounds, and compositions; selected themes; gesture and attire; physical appearance and visual communication etc. The seventh chapter concludes and briefly restates the major findings of the thesis.