https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Indian_Society_of_Oriental_ArtIndian Society of Oriental Art - Revision history2026-08-01T14:40:09ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Indian_Society_of_Oriental_Art&diff=504153&oldid=prevKrushiN1 at 11:51, 26 November 20252025-11-26T11:51:42Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Former art society in Kolkata, India}}<br />
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'''The Indian Society of Oriental Art''' was an art society founded in Calcutta in 1907 by [[Abanindranath Tagore]]. It organised art exhibitions, taught students, and published high-quality reproductions and illustrated journals.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web | title=Indian Society of Oriental Art | website=criticalcollective.in | date=2014-04-23 | url=https://criticalcollective.in/ArtistGInner2.aspx?Aid=292&Eid=291 | access-date=2021-04-15}}</ref><br />
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==About the Society==<br />
Details of the Society were published in its Journal as follows in 1920:<ref>''Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art'', April, 1920</ref> <br />
{{quote|"The Society was founded in the year 1907 with the object of cultivation by its members, and the promotion amongst the public, of a knowledge of all branches of ancient and modern Oriental Art by means of the collection by its members of objects of such art and the exhibition of such collections to the Society; the reading of papers; holding of discussions; the purchase of books and journals relating to art; correspondence with kindred Societies or Collectors and Connoisseurs; the publication of a Journal, and by such other means as the Society may hereafter determine; as also the furtherance of modern Indian Art by means of the holding of public loan exhibitions of objects of ancient and modern, and, in particular, Oriental Art owned by members of the Society or others; the encouragement and assistance of Indian artists, art students and workers in artistic industries by amongst other means, help given to them by the Society towards the disposal of their work, the holding of public exhibitions of works of modern Indian Art, the award of prizes and diplomas at such exhibitions, as also by such other means as the Society hereafter may determine."}}<br />
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==Founding==<br />
The Society was founded by brothers [[Gaganendranath Tagore]] and [[Abanindranath Tagore]] in [[Calcutta]] in 1907. Following annual exhibitions of the [[Bengal School of Art|Tagore School of Art]], showing the latest works of artists in the new movement in Indian painting (initiated by Abanindranath Tagore, under the guidance of [[E.B. Havell]]) at the Government School of Art, Calcutta, the Indian Society of Oriental Art was founded in 1907, sponsored by a group of Europeans in Calcutta. The first officers were [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]] (President), Norman Blount and Abanindranath Tagore (Secretaries). Early members included Lord Kitchener, Mr Justice Woodroffe ([[John Woodroffe]]), Mr Justice Rampini (Robert Fulton Fulton), Mr Justice Holmwood (Herbert Holmwood), Mr Justice Ashutosh Chaudhuri, Mr Rueboson (Sweden), Mr Hjalmar Pontén-Möller (Sweden), Norman Blount (jute broker), [[Jagadindra Nath Roy|Maharaja Jagadindranath Roy]] of [[Natore]], Maharajadhiraja [[Bijay Chand Mahtab]] of [[Burdwan]], Mr J. Chaudhuri, and Mr [[Surendranath Tagore]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /><br />
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==Presidents of the Indian Society of Oriental Art==<br />
* [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]]<br />
* [[John Woodroffe|Mr Justice Woodroffe]]<br />
* [[Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael|Lord Carmichael]]<br />
* [[Bijay Chand Mahtab|Maharajadhiraja of Burwan]]<br />
* [[Rajendra Nath Mookerjee|Sir Rajendranath Mukherjee]]<br />
* [[Charles Kesteven|Sir Charles Kesteven]]<br />
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==School==<br />
A school was opened at 6 Samavaya Mansions, in the Hindusthan Insurance Building, Hogg Street, Calcutta.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chitralekha.org/articles/mukul-dey/my-reminiscences|title=My Reminiscences &#124; Mukul Dey Archives|website=www.chitralekha.org}}</ref> Students were taught by [[Nandalal Bose]], Kshitindranath Mazumdar, Giridharilal of Orissa (sculpture), and supervised by Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore. Students trained at the school included S. Venkatappa, Hakim Khan, Sami-uz-Zama, Roop Krishna, Pramodekumar Chattopadhyaya, Deviprasad Ray Chaudhuri, [[Bireswar Sen]], Sailendranath De, [[Surendranath Kar]], and Chanchalkumar Bandyopadhyaya.<br />
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==Exhibitions==<br />
Annual exhibitions were held at Samavaya Mansions. They were not limited to Indian art, and there was a very popular exhibition of Japanese prints.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> The Society's exhibition in [[Paris]] in 1914 was the first exhibition of Indian Modern Art in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/eastern-encounters/the-queens-gallery-palace-of-holyroodhouse/tissarakshita-queen-of-asoka|title=RCIN 452415 - Tissarakshita, Queen of Asoka|website=www.rct.uk}}</ref> The Society organised a [[Bauhaus]] exhibition in Calcutta in 1922.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/1922-a-bauhaus-art-exhibition-and-rabindranath-tagore-s-inspiration-behind-it/cid/1694371|title=1922: A Bauhaus art exhibition and Rabindranath Tagore's inspiration behind it|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}</ref><br />
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==Publications==<br />
===''Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art''===<br />
First issued in 1933, the journal published articles and reviews, with high quality illustrations. The editors were [[Abanindranath Tagore]] and [[Stella Kramrisch]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ideasofindia.org/project/journal-of-the-indian-society-of-oriental-art/|title=Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art &#124; Ideas of India|website=www.ideasofindia.org}}</ref> Contributors included K.P. Jayaswil, Percy Brown, G. Coedes, G. Yazdani, B.B. Dutt, Zoltan de Takacs, S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, G.S. Dutt, P.V. Jagadisha Ayyar, Niharranjan Roy, Stella Kramrisch, Khitindra N. Mazumdar<br />
* vol.15 (1947) - A.K. Coomaraswamy Special Commemoration Volume<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.529705|title=Journal Of The Indian Society Of Oriental Art Vol.15|date=15 April 1947|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><br />
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===''Rupam''===<br />
Described as "an illustrated quarterly journal of oriental art chiefly Indian", published from 1920 to 1930. Edited by O.C. Gangoly.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Rupam.|date=15 April 1920|journal=Rupam.|oclc=1764641 }}</ref><br />
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==Further reading==<br />
* ''75th anniversary celebration Indian Society of Oriental Art : exhibition, 1983, 15th March to 27th March, 1983'' at Birla Academy of Art and Culture (Calcutta: Birla Academy of Art and Culture, 1983) (OCoLC) 988775829<br />
* Bittner, Regina and Kathrin Rhomberg (eds), ''The Bauhaus in Calcutta: an encounter of cosmopolitan avant-gardes'' (Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2013) {{ISBN|978 3 7757 3657 2}}<br />
* O.C. Gangoly, "[https://criticalcollective.in/ArtistGInner2.aspx?Aid=292&Eid=291 Indian Society of Oriental Art. Its Early Days]", in ''Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art'', Nov 1961. <br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n89181414/ Indian Society of Oriental Art on Worldcat]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}<br />
* [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1764641 ''Rupam'' on Worldcat]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian Society of Oriental Art}}<br />
[[Category:Indian art]]<br />
[[Category:Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:1907 establishments in India]]<br />
[[Category: Art schools in India]]<br />
[[Category: Bombay School]]<br />
[[Category:Artists from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Bauhaus]]<br />
[[Category:Art exhibitions in India]]</div>KrushiN1