Question 72 of 77 · Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes
Questionhard
This question was previously asked in

Defence

The Indian Society of Oriental Art, founded in Calcutta in 1907 to promote a revival of Indian art, was founded by:

Answer View answer ▾

Answer: Option C — Abanindranath Tagore (with Gaganendranath Tagore and others)

Detailed Solution

The Indian Society of Oriental Art was founded in Calcutta in 1907 by Abanindranath Tagore, his brother Gaganendranath Tagore, and others, with the support of British art lovers such as Lord Kitchener and E. B. Havell.

About the Indian Society of Oriental Art:

Its aim was to promote a revival of Indian art, based on Indian traditions, especially Mughal and Rajput miniature painting and the art of Ajanta, as opposed to Western academic realism.

It held exhibitions of Indian art, published the journal "Rupam" (edited by O. C. Gangoly), and gave scholarships to students.

Nandalal Bose was the first scholar to receive a scholarship from the society.

It played a key role in the growth of the Bengal School of Art.

About the Bengal School of Art:

It was a movement in Indian painting in the early 20th century, led by Abanindranath Tagore.

It was supported by E. B. Havell, the principal of the Government School of Art, Calcutta.

It used techniques such as wash painting, influenced by Japanese art, and themes from Indian history, mythology and literature.

It was closely linked with the Swadeshi Movement and the growth of national feeling.

Its artists included Nandalal Bose, Asit Kumar Haldar, Kshitindranath Majumdar, Sarada Ukil and others.

About Abanindranath Tagore:

  • He was born on 7 August 1871 at Jorasanko, Calcutta, and was a nephew of Rabindranath Tagore.
  • His famous paintings include "Bharat Mata", "The Passing of Shah Jahan" and the "Arabian Nights" series.
  • He also wrote children's books in Bengali, such as "Kshirer Putul" and "Raj Kahini".
  • He died on 5 December 1951.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Raja Ravi Varma painted in a European style; Nandalal Bose was a student of Abanindranath; Jamini Roy developed a folk-inspired style.

Quick tip

Remember: Indian Society of Oriental Art (Calcutta, 1907) = Abanindranath Tagore and Gaganendranath Tagore (with E. B. Havell); journal "Rupam"; Bengal School of Art.

💬 Discussions on this question

Ask a doubt ›

Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.

Ask a doubt

More Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes Questions

View all ›
  1. Q1.Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil and Nandalal Bose are famous Indian:
  2. Q2.The 'Mysore Peta', an important part of traditional attire in Karnataka, is worn on the:
  3. Q3.Pattachitra painting is a traditional art form of which state?
  4. Q4.Warli painting is a tribal folk art of which state?
  5. Q5.Phad paintings, a form of scroll painting depicting folk deities such as Pabuji and Devnarayan, are famous in:

More General Knowledge Questions

  1. Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
  2. Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
  3. Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
  4. Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
  5. Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms

Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India's traditional painting styles (such as Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Kalamkari, Gond and Tanjore), handicrafts and textiles, traditional dresses, and the major tribes of each state and their customs. It also includes Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to crafts and products. Questions usually ask which state a painting or craft belongs to, which tribe lives in a region, or what a traditional dress is called. Warli belongs to Maharashtra, Madhubani to Bihar, Pattachitra to Odisha and West Bengal, and Gond art to Madhya Pradesh. Grouping tribes by state, and noting the largest tribe of key states (such as the Bhils and the Santhals), helps with elimination. Practise the paintings, crafts and tribes questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.