Celebrating a Maverick: The Artistic Legacy
of
D P Roy Chowdhury
Prabuddha Ghosh
Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury, known as D P Roy Chowdhury, began his artistic journey under the tutelage of the Italian painter Boiess. However, he later abandoned European techniques and styles to become a disciple of the master artist Abanindranath Tagore. Although Devi Prasad initially worked as a painter, he eventually devoted himself to sculpture. His meticulous and spontaneous efforts in this direction earned him widespread recognition. His monumental and life-size compositions are admired by art connoisseurs and viewers alike. Devi Prasad is regarded as one of the eminent artists of the twentieth century who successfully blended oriental and occidental styles of art. Some of his notable works include 'Ma,' 'Sharad Pratima,' 'Jiban-Sandhya,' 'Surer Nesha,' and 'Gadi,' where the fusion of Western perspective, composition, and oriental drawing style made his works rhythmic, uncanny, and at the same time, sublime and exquisite.
Devi Prasad was a maverick and unorthodox in his approach. Once, while painting, he accidentally spilled coffee on the canvas. Instead of discarding it, as his students expected, he ordered more cups of coffee and poured them over the canvas, creating a unique and even tone. A celebrated artist, he was also the first chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi and a Padma Bhushan awardee.
Famously known as D P Roy Chowdhury, he is considered the father figure of modern public art, especially sculptures. His works were inspired by the impressionist sculptures of the French artist Auguste Rodin. The landmark Gyarah Murti statue, which depicts the Dandi March, conveys a sense of motion, purpose, determination, and urgency. Despite its significance, there is virtually no published material available on Gyarah Murti. Through discussions, we discovered that the eleven figures include Mahatma Gandhi, Matangini Hazra, Sarojini Naidu, Brahmabandhab Upadhyay, and Abbas Tyabji. Devi Prasad passed away before completing the sculpture, which was finished by his wife and students. The iconic Gyarah Murti is also featured on the old 500 Rupee Indian currency note.
Devi Prasad preferred to choose his models from the streets rather than studios. He was already becoming a legend and one of the best-known Indian artists of the 1940s and 1950s, during the struggle for independence. One of his first multiple-figure reliefs was the Travancore Temple Entry Proclamation, completed in 1930. This bronze statue of Chithira Tirunal Balarama Varma, the last ruler of Travancore, commemorates the historic proclamation that opened Hindu temples to all castes and communities.
During this time, he created some of his most famous pieces, such as The Triumph of Labor and Mahatma Gandhi, which adorn Marina Beach in Chennai. The second sculpture, depicting Gandhi marching towards Dandi, has been reproduced many times around the world. Other notable works include the Patna Martyrs Monument.
Devi Prasad's philosophy on art emphasized the importance of capturing not just the physical likeness of a subject but also its inherent majesty and characteristics. His works reveal rich technical achievement and penetrating vision.
Born on June 15, 1899, and passing away on October 15, 1975, Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury was also an art educator and dynamic philosopher. He is well known for his monumental bronze sculptures and public art but was also an excellent painter. He worked in various mediums, including watercolor, expressionist landscapes, and commissioned portraits. Large-scale sculptures were his particular strength, and he made social realism the cornerstone of his art. In addition to painting and sculpting, he wrestled, played the flute, hunted, and wrote short stories in his spare time. He served as the principal of the Madras School of Art from 1929 to 1957, becoming one of the first Indians to head a government educational institution. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan in 1958 for his contributions to the arts, and he was elected a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi in 1962.
This year, we celebrate his quasquicentennial (125th) birth anniversary, honoring his lasting legacy in the world of art.
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