Chorasi Devata Ovali Gaya (The Cow with 84 Deities) (detail), published by Ravi Varma Press, about 1920. Lithograph with varnish. Gift of Mark Baron and Elise Boisanté.
Chorasi Devata Ovali Gaya (The Cow with 84 Deities) (detail), published by Ravi Varma Press, about 1920. Lithograph with varnish. Gift of Mark Baron and Elise Boisanté.
Colorful Cosmopolitanism: Artistic Representations of the Nation as Mother
In the early 20th century, Bengal witnessed a sophisticated art movement that sought to bridge the domains of the elite and subaltern. In 1905, Abanindranath Tagore painted Bangamata (Mother Bengal), later retitled Bharatmata (Mother India), the iconic image of the nation as mother. Patriotism and cosmopolitanism were not antithetical in this era of Swadeshi (inter) nationalism. The Bengal school engaged with themes in Mughal history and was fused with a spirit of Asian universalism in conversation with artists from Japan and China. In this lecture, explore the tumultuous history of modern Bengal through its art from the turn of the 20th century to the famine and partition in the 1940s.
Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of History, Harvard University
Course Packages
Purchase a ticket package for the full four-session “Bengali Art and Culture: Living Traditions, Critical Junctures” course. Please note that this option is not available after the date of the first session.
Assistive listening system
Wheelchair accessible
Ticket Information
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.
Bag Checks
All bags are subject to inspection by Museum staff. Backpacks, large bags, all liquids including hand sanitizer and sunscreen, and outside food or drink are not permitted. Exceptions are made for medical or religious needs. All bags are strongly discouraged, and any bags larger than 11” x 15” must be checked in the Coat Room upon entry. Read our full bag check policy.