স্মৃতিকথার আলোকে রবীন্দ্র-চিত্রকলা/ Rabindra-Chitrakala in the light of memoirs

Abstract

Poetry and paintings are originated from the same source, the human heart, in nature. Creation of poetry throughout his life led to the accumulation of countless images in the treasure of Rabindranath Tagore's mind. His writings and drawings combined to create a new design through the process of editing. In fact, one day his writing and editing game knocked on the door of the world of painting. As he reached the twilight of his life, it was as if a flood of painting came down from the treasury of his mind to the tip of his brush. We find many theoretical discussions about Rabindranath's paintings. However, we can learn about the essence of his paintings from the memoirs of several people who came close to Rabindranath. Nowhere else is Rabindranath's own thoughts on images as clear as they are in these memoirs. One such invaluable book about Rabindranath's own thoughts on painting is Rani Chanda's 'Alapchari Rabindranath'. During the last few years of Rabindranath Tagore's life, Rani Chanda became his devoted companion in his artistic practice. Rabindranath Tagore has a long history of artistic practice. In addition to discussing that history, I would also try to clarify the psychology of Rabindranath regarding painting in this discussion. Towards the end of his life, he painted as he pleased. Yet, he remained uncertain about the creation through the brush until his last days. Rabindranath himself began painting in that sense when he was about sixty-five years old. Rabindranath approached painting like a small boy without any restraints. He painted according to his own whims, going against conventional ideas. The creation of images was hidden in his mind, under the guise of playing with his own pleasure. We know that the Creator, inspired by the inspiration of creation, he creates in the joy of his own mind - He had no idea how great his creations were. Rabindranath Tagore was as like as conventional painters. The books of memoirs are unique evidence of that.