Chapter 50 - Graphic art—a bird’s eye view on its development in Orissa

GRAPHIC Art is a comprehensive term which includes printing, engraving, painting, drawing, lettering, writing and all other arts using lines or marks on a "surface as distinguished from music, sculpture, dance etc. The word Graphic denotes 'engraving'. The art which is engraved on paper, lino, wood, stone, copper and zink plates, is known as graphic art. It is also a process of reproduction like sculpture and architecture. Graphic art is one of the basic substances of Fine Art. Both art and craft are interrelated to produce Graphic pictures. The development of printing presses has expedited the evolution of graphic medium. There are four great general groups of Graphic Art, such as Serigraphy, Planography, Relief and Intaglio. Each requires its special kind of tools, inks and incidental materials. The print which we get from the thin card-board block like stencil, silkscreen printing is included under the category of Serigraphy. The paper-cut which is prevalent in the folk art of China is considered to be the preliminary stage of Serigraphy. Different types of mono-prints, sando-prints and lithography are accepted in the family of planography. Lino-cut, wood-cut, wood-engraving, metal-cut etc. are in the family of Relief medium. Potato-cut is the primary stage of Relief medium. Dry-point, metal engraving and etching are included in the Intaglio medium. Metal plates are used for it. Generally nitric acid or sulphuric acid solutions are used for etching medium. After 1830, as a result of improvement of scientific invention of photography the blocks were prepared by the photomechanical process, which makes the product cheap. The pictorial art of Orissa expresses the peculiar form and special type evolved by native Orissan genius. It is assumed to have been influenced by the aboriginal tribal pre-Aryan culture of Orissa. In ancient time kings were the main patrons of Graphic Art. They were interested in engraving their activities on rocks, caves, temples,

Graphic Art-A Bird's eye view on its development in Orissa 1 629 and pillars in an artistic way. So Orissa is rich in inscriptions. The art which grew in Asoka's reign is represented by his inscriptions, the sculptures on his monolithic columns, certain caves and a few fragments of pottery found from excavated areas in Maury an Age. The Inscriptions are worthy of being mentioned among the fine arts on account of their beautiful execution and accurate cutting. In Orissa also the craft of the skilled mason and the stone cutter reached perfection in the days of Asoka. • Graphic Art in Orissa entered into a new phase during the reign of Kharavela. The activities of king Kharavela are very nicely engraved in Hatigumpha Inscription The culture of the people, their manners and customs are revealed in the sculpture of the caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri. They speak of an age both materially prosperous and culturally advanced. The earliest surviving remains of pictorial art, perhaps date from this particular time. The remains of the painting inside these caves show that they were painted on a lime base or priming, now visible below the obliterated Colours. The Hatigumpha Inscription of Kharavela provides an inscriptional confirmation that Graphic art was practised in Orissa. From numismatic evidence we come to know that Orissa was ruled by Kusans. 84 coins were discovered at the village Gurubai near Chilika in 1893 A.D. The writings of these coins show that the artists were familiar with Graphic art. The copperplates of Orissa during Gupta era speak of the artistic achievements of Guptas. The Sailodbhava age is an important period in the religious-history of Orissa. Saivism was very popular in this age. The copperplate inscriptions of Buguda, Purusottampur, Sumandala, Tikkali, Parikud, Banpur, Puri and Khurda reveal the development of Graphic art in Orissa. Also the inscriptions of Bhauma-Kara kings reveal that a large number of monasteries and temples were built in this period. The fine art at Kupari in Balasore District may be attributed to this age. Oriya as a language came into being and began to develop in Orissa during the Bhauma supermacy. The Ganga Period ushered a new era in the history of Graphic art. A large number of stone inscriptions, copperplates and coin engravings are found in this period. Wood-cut was introduced in this time. Apart from historical graphic paintings there are evidences of general practice of engraving the walls of the temples of Orissa. The painting on palm leaf and indigenous paper manuscripts of Orissa forms an important section in the history of Graphic Art A large number of beautifully illustrated palm leaf manuscripts are preserved in the Orissa state museum at Bhubaneswar. From the

study of these manuscripts it appears that the practice of drawing or scratching on palm leaves with the help of an iron stylo has been in vogue in Orissa from the early medieval period. The illustrated palm leaf manuscripts are found from 16 th century A.D., in which beautiful drawings were depicted on both sides of each folio of the manuscripts, giving pictorial representation of each stanza written by the side of pictures. Both calligraphy and painting are simultaneously kept on the palm leaf manuscripts • Due to the popularity of Gita Govinda in Orissa, illustrated manuscripts of this celebrated work are commonly found in the state. The Dasavatara painting on palm leaf is a special feature of Graphis art in Orissa. From the 17 th century A.D., all best works on Oriya literature such as Bhagavata by Jagannath Das, Rasa Kallola and Artatrana Chautisa by Dinakrushna Das, the Lavanyavati and Vaidehisavilasa by Upendra Bhanja, Basanta Rasa by Shri Chandan and Champu of Kavisurya were depicted on palm leaves. Dr. O. C. Ganguli refers to the graphic paintings of Bhagavata with the Sanskrit texts written in Oriya character. These paper manuscripts are illustrated with considerable liveliness and movement and very. graphically delineate the principal episodes treated in the next text e.g., Gai Charana lila, the visit of Akrura and other well-knownt opics of Bhagavata. The earliest palm leaf manuscript so far discovered is the Amaru Satakam or one hundred verses by poet Amaru in which beautiful drawings are depicted on both sides of each folio after manuscript, giving a practical representation of each stanza written by the side of the picture. The artist has used a permanent colour of the 16 th century, which has very slightly faded in spite of the worn out condition of the manuscript. This manuscript was discovered in the ex-Mayurbhanj State. Another set of remarkable pictorial art, on double leaf, of a group of Gopins gathering flowers on the bank of Yamuna is preserved in the Asutosh museum. The figures are depicted majestically lending a life-like gesture. "These unique drawings surviving in only two specimens of manuscripts prove how much interesting evidences of high class pictorial art of Orissa have been lost to us and prevent a comprehensive study of an art now only confined to its sculptural remains." In the different parts of Orissa people are well-acquainted with graphic art. Particularly the Parajangas of Dhenkanal District are familiar with stencial type of work. They used to draw the picture of Rama, Ravana and other characters of Ramayana on deer skins. After preparing all these figures on the leather they exhibit these

Graphic Art-A Bird's eye view on its development in Orissa 631 characters behind a thin screen by the help of the light on the stage. This is known as Ravana Chhaya. This type of art can be compared with Indonesian shadow plays. So from this evidence we mark the speciality of Graphic art in Orissa. The fine engravings on bell-metal utensils, bronze bugles, gold and silver ornaments are important aspects of Orissan Graphic art. These works speak of the peculiar character of Oriyas to which they are attached since long. Even today we see the use of bell-metalled utensils and figured bronze bugles in some parts of Orissa. The works of Adivasis of Koraput, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts represent another feature of Orissan Graphis art. They are found using bamboo-made articles. They used to engrave beautiful pictures on the combs, flutes and other articles. These figures are very beautiful to look at. The tattooes are included in the Graphis art section in Orissa. Some ladies used to engrave coloured pictures on their bodies by the help of a nail. Usually the lower class ladies are fond of keeping the pictures of gods and goddesses in the hands or other parts of the body. This is native in origin. This is known as body decoration. At present we see some ladies who have decorated their bodies in this way. A tremendous change was marked in the sphere of Graphic art in Orissa after the coming of missionaries. These people come with press materials to the State. For mass reproduction, Oriya letters were printed out of wooden and Zink blocks. The aim was to educate the common people. The family of Banamali Giri of Cuttack prepared first of all the wood and Zink blocks in Orissa for printing purpose. More developed form of Graphic art came due to photography and electric machine. Electro-photography blocks were prepared. Shri Balakrushna Kar was the first Oriya to have such type of work at Cuttack. Dr. H. K. Mahatab also brought this machine to Prajatantra Press later on. During the time of Swarajya movement lithography also was popular, because the leaders of the movement staying in the underground, wanted to propagate their ideas. For this, they printed pamphlets and news bulletins. The Utkal Dipika was first published having lithographic prints. Swaraja Ashram of Cuttack became the centre of all these activities. Lino and wood blocks were prepared for this purpose.

Recently wood engraving has come to be recognised as one branch of art. Some artists during the beginning of 20 th century, realised the aesthetic vitality of wood engraving and used it as a means of free aesthetic expression. In the present century Artist Shri Ananda Misra applied the technique of modern graphic form in Orissa. After obtaining his degree from Calcutta Government School of Arts, in lithography he started his work at Puri. Through Lithograph he printed more copies of "Suna Besa of Jagannath and Gaja uddharana". He did it mainly for business purpose. But he was not successful in his attempts. After him the renowned artist Shri Muralidhar Tali started wood engraving work. Shri Tali is the first graphic artist in whose works we mark some realistic touch. His etching process is highly noteworthy. Mainly his works are on black and white. The next famous artist in this line is Shri Ajit Kesari Ray, who got his wood engraving training in U.K. He is at present working as Principal in the Government School of Arts, Khallikote. In the beginning of his artistic career he was very much interested in graphic paintings. Like Shri Tali, he also works on black and white. But his compositions are traditional with a modern touch. He is the only artist who first of all gave modern touch to graphic paintings of Orissa. Some of his graphic paintings are of sculptural type. The lino-cut and wood-cut paintings of Shri Gauranga Charan Soma are notable and traditional in character. The contribution of Shri Laxmidhar Das for the development of Graphic art in Orissa is highly commendable. He is famous for his coloured wood-cut paintings. He is realistic in his approach and works on lithography. Somehow Artist Shri Sunamani Samal is following the ideas of Shri Das. Among the present Graphis artists of Orissa Shri Binoda Rautaray is one, who is working sincerely for its development from various angles. He is working as lecturer in Graphic Arts in the Government Art School of Khallikote. After getting guidance from Shri Nandalal Bose and Ram Kinkar, the celebrated artists of the country he has started his work with earnestness and devotion. To-day he is one of the first-rate graphic artists in India who has evolved a personal idiom of artistic expression, truly remarkable for its simplicity, vigour, direct pictorial communication of ideas and feelings. He is famous for wood-cut, wood-engraving, lino-cut, lithography, stencil prints and sando-prints. His paintings are realistic in nature.

Graphic Art-A Bird's eye view on its development in Orissa 633 Comparing the development of Graphic art with other states at present, our state is still on the starting point. Lack of modern printing machinery hampers a lot for its development. The artists of Orissa will keep a glorious record in the history of Graphic Art, using their talents if suitable opportunities will be provided to them. Certainly they will bring back the artistic glory which Orissa once enjoyed in the past.