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Gaganendranath Tagore — featured artwork

Introduction

Date of Birth
18 Sep 1867
Zodiac sign
Virgo
Date of Death
14 Feb 1938
Age
70
Place of Birth
Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Place of Death
Calcutta
Spouse(s)
Did not marry
State Country of Birth
West Bengal, India

Exhibitions

  1. 1908

    1. Inaugural Exhibition, Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
  2. 1909

    1. Indian Society of Oriental Art Exhibition, Shimla, India
  3. 1910

    1. Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
  4. 1911

    1. Festival of Empire, Organised by Indian Society of Oriental Art, for George V's Coronation, Crystal Palace, London, UK
    2. Indian Society of Oriental Art, United Provinces Exhibition, Allahabad, India
  5. 1912

    1. Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
  6. 1914

    1. 22nd Exhibition of Societe des Peintres Orientalistes Francais, Grand Palais, Paris travelled to Belgium, Holland & Imperial Institute, England
    2. His work was exhibited in the 22nd exhibition de Societe des peintres orientalistes francais in Paris, London, Belgium and Holland
    3. Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata & Young Men's Indian Association, Chennai, India
  7. 1915

    1. Indian Society of Oriental Art,Chennai, India
  8. 1922

    1. 14th Annual Exhibition of the lndian Society of Oriental Art, Calcutta, India
  9. 1923

    1. Berlin and Hamburg, Germany
    2. His work was exhibited in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany
  10. 1924

    1. Travelling Exhibition, Organised by American Federation of Art & Indian Society of Oriental Art at, USA
  11. 1928

    1. He exhibited in the Athene Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
    2. Athenee Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
  12. 1967

    1. Gaganendranath's Centenary Exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India

      18 Sep 1967 to 24 Sep 1967

  13. 1975

  14. 1976

    1. Advoot Lok, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
  15. 1979

    1. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
    2. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India

      17 Mar 1979 to 20 Mar 1979

  16. 1987

    1. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India

      17 Mar 1987 to 20 Mar 1987

    2. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
  17. 1991

  18. 1997

    1. Intuitive Logic: A Festival of Indian Contemporary Painting, Presented by The Tuli Foundation for Holistic Education & Art (HEART) at, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, India

      01 Mar 1997 to 19 Apr 1997

  19. 2000

    1. Face off 1990 - 1980's: An Exhibition of Indian Old Masters and Moderns, Curated by Santo Datta, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India

      15 Apr 2000 to 31 May 2000

    2. Shatabdi: Reflections on A Century Past, Organised by CIMA, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India

      30 Mar 2000 to 06 Apr 2000

    3. Shatabdi: Reflections on A Century Past, Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata, India

      05 Jan 2000 to 23 Jan 2000

  20. 2001

    1. 07 Aug 2001 to 14 Aug 2001

  21. 2002

    1. Art Today, New Delhi, India

      01 Aug 2002 to 08 Aug 2002

    2. A Historical Epic: India in the Making 1757-1950, curated Exhibition-Auction by Neville Tuli, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, India

      19 Jul 2002 to 27 Jul 2002

  22. 2003

    1. 19 Apr 2003 to 19 May 2003

  23. 2004

    1. Manifestations II, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, organised by Delhi Art Gallery

      09 Aug 2004 to 21 Aug 2004

    2. Manifestations II, Delhi Art Gallery, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, organised by Delhi Art Gallery

      25 Jul 2004 to 31 Jul 2004

  24. 2005

    1. Manifestations III: 100 Artists from the Delhi Art Gallery Collection, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India

      30 Apr 2005 to 14 May 2005

    2. Manifestations III: 100 Artists from the Delhi Art Gallery Collection, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India

      22 Apr 2005 to 27 Apr 2005

    3. Manifestations III: 100 Artists from the Delhi Art Gallery Collection, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery at Nehru Centre, Mumbai, India

      06 Apr 2005 to 12 Apr 2005

  25. 2006

    1. The Osian Asian, an Exhibition from the Osian's Archive & Library Collection, Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India

      29 Jun 2006 to 19 Jul 2006

  26. 2007

    1. An Historical Epic: India in the Making: Part III, From The Osian's Archive Collection, Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India

      13 Aug 2007 to 25 Aug 2007

    2. Changing Images: An Exhibition of 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
  27. 2010

  28. 2011

    1. Ethos V: Indian Art Through the Lens of History (1900 to 1980), Indigo Blue Art, Singapore
    2. Circle of Art: The Three Tagores, on the eve of 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi, India
  29. 2012

    1. 25 Jan 2012 to 17 Mar 2012

  30. 2013

    1. Manifestations X: 75 Artists, 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India

      30 Dec 2013 to 08 Mar 2014

    2. 01 Sep 2013 to 26 Oct 2013

  31. 2014

    1. Indian Portraits, Delhi Art Gallery, Mumbai, India

      29 Mar 2014 to 15 Jul 2014

    2. The Art of Bengal, Delhi Art Gallery, Mumbai, India

      09 Oct 2014 to 08 Nov 2014

  32. 2015

  33. 2016

    1. The Art of Bengal, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India

      10 Dec 2016 to 10 Mar 2017

  34. 2017

    1. Graphic Prints, Gallerie 88, Kolkata, India

      22 Apr 2017 to 30 Jun 2017

    2. Divine Intervention, Akara Contemporary, Mumbai, India

      08 Sep 2017 to 28 Oct 2017

  35. 2019

    1. Common Course, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi, India

      13 Aug 2019 to 25 Oct 2019

    2. Drishyakala, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India

      01 Feb 2019 to 31 Mar 2022

  36. 2024

    1. Past In Perspective, Printmaking Practices From Bengal, Akar Prakar, New Delhi, India

      20 Jun 2024 to 27 Jul 2024

  37. 2025

    1. Deconstructed Realms, India's Tryst with Cubism, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) New Delhi, India

      08 Feb 2025 to 05 Apr 2025

Calcutta Metropolitan Festival of Art (Organiser) and Ganesh Haloi (Curator). Art of Bengal, 1997 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883543
1 / 8

Calcutta Metropolitan Festival of Art (Organiser) and Ganesh Haloi (Curator). Art of Bengal, 1997 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883543

Chronicled Highlights

14 entries
Gaganendranath Tagore
18 September 1867Born
Gaganendranath Tagore
Gaganendranath Tagore was born in 18 September 1867 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Randhashala In Puri Temple. Watercolour and wash on paper, c.1910 | Painting | FineArts | 00560956
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Randhashala In Puri Temple. Watercolour and wash on paper, c.1910 | Painting | FineArts | 00560956
In 2007, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Randhashala In Puri Temple (1910), offered in the Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series VIII by Osian's, which concluded on 31 January 2007 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹15,90,000 ($35,997). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Landscape. Watercolour on paper, early 1910s | Painting  | 00880810
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Landscape. Watercolour on paper, early 1910s | Painting | 00880810
In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Landscape (1911), offered in the The ABC Series: Art, Book & Cinema by Osian's, which concluded on 20 July 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹12,65,000 ($27,007). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Chaitanya Series. Watercolour on paper, c.1913 | Painting | FineArts | 00373200
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Chaitanya Series. Watercolour on paper, c.1913 | Painting | FineArts | 00373200
Gaganendra was a virtuoso in his many-sidedness. He was also a non-conformist… (he) kept outside the pale of the parochial orthodoxy of Modern Indian Art. He remained a free painter all through, free from fetish of all kinds – oriental or occidental… His artistic motivation was a curious amalgam of deliberate intellection penetrated and surcharged by a romanticism of the wmotional-impulsive type.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). The Sleepless City. Watercolour on paper, 1915 | Painting | FineArts | 00755327
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). The Sleepless City. Watercolour on paper, 1915 | Painting | FineArts | 00755327
In 2010, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Sleepless City (1915), offered in the Indian and Southeast Asian Art: Including Property from The Francisco Capelo Collection by Sotheby's, which concluded on 24 March 2010 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹31,25,655 ($68,500). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Watercolour on paper laid on wood, 1920 | Painting | FineArts | 00331725
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Watercolour on paper laid on wood, 1920 | Painting | FineArts | 00331725
In 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1920), offered in the South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 10 June 2015 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹55,39,061.25 ($86,703.76). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Watercolour and wash on paper, early 1920s | Painting | FineArts | 00561553
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Watercolour and wash on paper, early 1920s | Painting | FineArts | 00561553
In 2007, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1921), offered in the ABC Series III: Art, Book & Cinema by Osian's, which concluded on 29 March 2007 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹24,00,000 ($55,210). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Ink and gouache on paper, early 1920s | Painting | FineArts | 00575137
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Ink and gouache on paper, early 1920s | Painting | FineArts | 00575137
In 2008, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1921), offered in the Indian Modern & Contemporary Art by Osian's, which concluded on 18 March 2008 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹31,20,000 ($76,809). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Darjeeling Landscape Series. Watercolour on paper, early 1920s | Painting | FineArts | 00371621
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Darjeeling Landscape Series. Watercolour on paper, early 1920s | Painting | FineArts | 00371621
…he is a legend among the discriminating and, as time passes, his work is coming to be recognized as even more significant than the major works of the school with which he was vaguely associated. For, both in his mature painting, where he sought to absorb Far Eastern and Cubist influences into the service of his own peculiar private vision of forms, and as a commentator on current affairs, through his cartoons he displayed a depth of understanding about the mental and moral crises in which India was involved and as extraordinary technical virtuosity as a craftsman…
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). The Atrium. Watercolour on paper, 1920-1925 | Painting  | 00876695
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). The Atrium. Watercolour on paper, 1920-1925 | Painting | 00876695
In 1998, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Atrium (1925), offered in the Twentieth Century Indian Art by Christie's, which concluded on 02 June 1998 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹4,87,442 ($11,685). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Hindur Dharma Ghorotoro Aghatan. Pen and ink heightened with wash on paper, c.1920s | Drawing  | 00881640
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Hindur Dharma Ghorotoro Aghatan. Pen and ink heightened with wash on paper, c.1920s | Drawing | 00881640
In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Hindur Dharma Ghorotoro Aghatan (1925), offered in the Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings by Triveda, which concluded on 25 October 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹6,90,000 ($15,232). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Bed of Arrows (Bhishma). Watercolour and gouache on cardboard, c.1922-1925 | Painting | FineArts | 00333022
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Bed of Arrows (Bhishma). Watercolour and gouache on cardboard, c.1922-1925 | Painting | FineArts | 00333022
In 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Bed of Arrows (Bhishma) (1925), offered in the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 06 October 2015 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹80,48,137.5 ($123,077.52). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Watercolour on paper, 1923-1925 | Painting | FineArts | 00416079
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist). Untitled. Watercolour on paper, 1923-1925 | Painting | FineArts | 00416079
In 1922, our artist (G.T.) introduced cubism in India, and at once cubism shows another aspect. It is not the dissolution and fragmentation of the static, but of the dynamic character of objects which break up in cubes…The transformation of cubism asa principle of composition from an interpenetrating order of vertical and horizontal units into an expressive three-dimensional context or emotional pattern is the artist’s contribution to Indian art and to cubism alike... G.N. Tagore remained an isolated phenomenon.
Sotheby's (Auction House). Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings - One Hundred Years. 08 October 1996, London | Auction Catalogue | EconomicsArt | 00861848
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Sotheby's (Auction House). Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings - One Hundred Years. 08 October 1996, London | Auction Catalogue | EconomicsArt | 00861848
On 08 October 1996, made their debut in the Indian public auction market when The Queen Of Puppet was presented as Lot in Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings: One Hundred Years, conducted by Sotheby's in London, UK. This auction marked the artist's first recorded appearance in the public auction market, establishing the earliest chapter of their auction history.
deRivaz & Ives (Auction House) and Neville Tuli (Curator). Indian Modern Art. 27 August 2022, Online | Auction Catalogue | EconomicsArt | 00862441
deRivaz & Ives (Auction House) and Neville Tuli (Curator). Indian Modern Art. 27 August 2022, Online | Auction Catalogue | EconomicsArt | 00862441
In 2022, an artwork by Gaganendranath Tagore was featured on the cover of deRivaz & Ives: Indian Modern Art (August 2022, New Delhi), marking a documented highlight in the artist's public and auction market visibility.

Economics of Art

Research Centre

Posts 1

  1. SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    "What does 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗷 truly mean? Is freedom achieved at a single historic moment or period, or must self-rule be continually imagined, questioned and renewed? India's journey towards Swaraj was shaped not by one voice or one path, but through reform and resistance, revolution and non-violence, political thought, public protest, art, print, photography, cinema and the collective will of its people. The Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) presents 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗝: 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, a pioneering exhibition curated by Neville Tuli. Bringing together rare artworks, prints, photographs, books, film publicity art, political propaganda and visual-textual-audio archives, SWARAJ traces India's complex journey towards political self-rule and self-discovery. From early European coastal encounters, the Bengal Renaissance and the First War of Independence in 1857 to the rise of Bharat Mata, the Tiranga, Gandhiji's inspired satyagraha, civil disobedience and mass mobilisation, the exhibition explores how the idea of India was envisioned, contested and transformed. It journeys through revolutionary movements and non-violence, subaltern uprisings, the Partition, the Constitution, the integration of the Princely States, the Emergency, wars, civic dissent and people's protests. It also foregrounds the vital role of artists, photographers, publishers, newspapers, journals, cartoons and cinema in recording and shaping the nation's political consciousness. SWARAJ invites us to encounter history not as something distant or settled, but as a daily living inheritance that continues to influence who we are and how we understand freedom, identity, and ourselves today. Watch the video for a glimpse into this expansive visual journey, and follow the exhibition as it revisualises India's political history through art, image, text and sound.

Calendar 2

  1. SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    UpcomingExhibitionProject 81
    SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    An Exhibition of Modern & Contemporary Fine & Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archive
    12th - 16th August 2026
    10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
    Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi,
    The Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) announces its seventh exhibition. “Swaraj – Revisualising India's Political History” -- An exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Fine and Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archives. Swaraj will open at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at the Visual Arts Gallery and will remain open till 7 p.m. Sunday, 16 August 2026. Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) presents SWARAJ | Revisualising India's Political History, a pioneering inter-disciplinary offline-online exhibition conceptualised and curated by Neville Tuli with Team T.R.I.S.. SWARAJ explores India's journey towards political self-rule and self-discovery through a remarkable collection of rare modern and contemporary fine and popular arts, albums, photographs, books, prints, propaganda, cartoons, film publicity artworks and other "text-visual-audio" archives contextualised within a clear historical framework, which defines T.R.I.S.' pedagogic approach to learning. The Exhibition will be of particular interest to students and scholars of India & Cultural Studies, and India's political and modern histories as well as those interested in the passage of events and ideas from the mid-1850s leading up to the turn of the 21st century. Unique to the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies is the richness of visual material that not only exhorts a deeper understanding of the art and archival materials on display but also brings alive the multi-layered narratives of the exhibition and naturally India's journey in being ad searching for herself.
    Read More →
    +16 more
  2. SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    UpcomingOpening PreviewProject 82
    SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    An Exhibition of Modern & Contemporary Fine & Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archive
    12th August 2026
    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi,
    The Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) announces its seventh exhibition. “Swaraj – Revisualising India's Political History” -- An exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Fine and Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archives. Swaraj will open at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at the Visual Arts Gallery and will remain open till 7 p.m. Sunday, 16 August 2026. Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) presents SWARAJ | Revisualising India's Political History, a pioneering inter-disciplinary offline-online exhibition conceptualised and curated by Neville Tuli with Team T.R.I.S.. SWARAJ explores India's journey towards political self-rule and self-discovery through a remarkable collection of rare modern and contemporary fine and popular arts, albums, photographs, books, prints, propaganda, cartoons, film publicity artworks and other "text-visual-audio" archives contextualised within a clear historical framework, which defines T.R.I.S.' pedagogic approach to learning. The Exhibition will be of particular interest to students and scholars of India & Cultural Studies, and India's political and modern histories as well as those interested in the passage of events and ideas from the mid-1850s leading up to the turn of the 21st century. Unique to the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies is the richness of visual material that not only exhorts a deeper understanding of the art and archival materials on display but also brings alive the multi-layered narratives of the exhibition and naturally India's journey in being ad searching for herself.
    Read More →
    +16 more