Human Figures in Rabindranath Tagore’s Paintings
Modern Perspectives in Language, Literature and Education Vol. 6, 2021
Rabindranath Tagore began painting relatively late in his career when he was in his sixties. Neve... more Rabindranath Tagore began painting relatively late in his career when he was in his sixties. Nevertheless he produced thousands of works and was the first Indian artist to exhibit his works across Europe, Russia and the United States in 1930. His painting style was very individual, characterized by simple bold forms and a rhythmic quality, and later served to inspire many modern Indian artists. Tagore painted landscapes, animal figures and human faces. The human faces are a prominent constant in his artistic works. This motif shows his infinite interest in human persona. He turned the faces into a mask or a hieratic symbol of a social type in his paintings. His faces are varied in appearance and social stature and they encompass within their own lineaments of vast human experience.
Uploads
Papers by Disha Mondal
of the Partition of India through a theatrical lens, weaving themes of gender, violence, and memory. Set against
the backdrop of post-Partition India, the play centers on an aging actress, Nazia, who reflects on her experiences
as both a survivor of Partition violence and a pioneering woman in Indian theater. By using the metaphor of
the “purdah” (veil), Dattani highlights the intersection of public and private identities and the cultural
expectations surrounding women’s bodies. The play addresses gendered violence, showing how women were
particularly vulnerable during Partition, not only physically but also psychologically, as they were often forced
to navigate shame, silence, and survival in patriarchal contexts. Memory plays a central role, as Nazia revisits
her traumatic past and grapples with the selective nature of her recollections, shaped by both her personal
choices and societal expectations. The play thus serves as a poignant commentary on how collective memories
of Partition continue to impact individual lives, particularly for women whose stories were often marginalized
or erased. Dattani’s work underscores the resilience of those who survived and the ongoing struggle for agency
in the aftermath of communal violence. Through Nazia’s story, Where Did I Leave My Purdah? provides a
compelling theatrical narrative that reflects on how trauma, memory, and identity intertwine in the shadow of
historical upheaval.