Skip to main content
TRIS logo image
Nandalal Bose — featured artwork

Introduction

Date of Birth
03 Dec 1882
Zodiac sign
Sagittarius
Date of Death
16 Apr 1966
Age
83
Place of Birth
Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
Place of Death
Santiniketan
State Country of Birth
West Bengal, India

Exhibitions

  1. 1908

    1. Inaugural Exibition, Indian Society of Oriental Art (ISOA), Kolkata, India
  2. 1909

    1. Indian Society of Oriental Art (ISOA), Shimla, India
  3. 1910

    1. Indian Society of Oriental Art (ISOA), 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's 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; travelling to Belgium, Holland & Imperial Institute in London, UK
  7. 1915

    1. Young Men's Indian Association, Chennai, India
    2. Indian Society of Oriental Art (ISOA), Kolkata, India
  8. 1922

    1. 14th Annual Exhibition,The lndian Society of Oriental Art (ISOA), Kolkata, India
  9. 1924

    1. Travelling exhibition to USA, Organised by American Federation of Art and Indian Society of Oriental Art (ISOA), Kolkata, India
  10. 1928

    1. Athenee Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
    2. Athenee Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
  11. 1935

    1. Exhibition by students of Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan at the Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress, Lucknow, India
  12. 1938

    1. Haripura session of Indian National Congress, Surat, India
  13. 1953

    1. Nandalal Bose, Retrospective Exhibition, Mumbai, India
    2. 2nd International Contemporary Art Exhibition, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi, India
  14. 1954

    1. Nandalal Bose, Retrospective Exhibition, Kolkata, India
  15. 1975

    1. A Handbook of Bengal School, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, India
  16. 1983

20 of 111
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Nandalal Bose (1882-1966) Centenary Exhibition, 1983 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882085

Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Nandalal Bose (1882-1966) Centenary Exhibition, 1983 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882085

Chronicled Highlights 141933 – 2011

Nandalal Bose was born in 3 December 1882 in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
1933
Public Auction HighPainting
Triveda · Modern and Contemporary Indian PaintingsNew Delhi · 25 October 2006
In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Shiva Drinking The World'S Poison (1933), offered in the Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings by Triveda, which concluded on 25 October 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹29,90,000 ($66,004). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Shiva Drinking The World'S Poison, 1933 | Painting
Selling price
INR29,90,000
50% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 15,00,000 – 20,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 5,403
Medium
Line wash and watercolour on paper
Dimensions
27.6 × 20.1 in (70 × 51 cm)
Lot
20 · Tr.Del/25.10.06
1936
Public Auction HighPainting
Osian's · Creative India Series 1: BengalNew Delhi · 15 December 2011
In 2011, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Shiva Drinking The World Poison (1936), offered in the Creative India Series 1: Bengal by Osian's, which concluded on 15 December 2011 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹60,00,000 ($110,629). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Shiva Drinking The World Poison, c.1936 | Painting
Selling price
INR60,00,000
Within estimate
Estimate
INR 60,00,000 – 90,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 9,058
Medium
Tempera on silk
Dimensions
29.7 × 22.3 in (76 × 57 cm)
Lot
34 · Os.Del/15.12.11
1937
Public Auction HighPainting
Pundole · The Fine Art SaleMumbai · 27 March 2025
In 2025, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Esraj Player (1937), offered in the The Fine Art Sale by Pundole, which concluded on 27 March 2025 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹3,50,00,000 ($408,110.91). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Esraj Player, 1937 | Painting
Selling price
INR3,50,00,000
40% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 1,50,00,000 – 2,50,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 60,288
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
25.5 × 22.8 in (65 × 58 cm)
Signature
Signed in Bengali
Lot
16 · Pu.Mum/27.03.25
Provenance
Formerly from the collection of the artist Thence by descent Private New Delhi Collection.
1941
Literary ReferencePainting
Osian's · India: The Passionate Detachment: Curated Auctions of Indian Modern and Contemporary Art and BooksMumbai · 24 February 2001
Pursuing the analysis further, but keeping in mind the same truth that creation is an unfolding away from, and not a harking back to, the origin, it has seemed to me that the various decorative designs may claim as their fundamental basis are the forms of the Buddhist symbols for the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and sky… Third element: Fire. The symbol is a cone, or triangle, standing on its base, point upwards. This represents the shape of an undistributed flame. Its interaction with air results in waves and eddies; but as fire, unlike water, is devoid of weight, the lines of these forms have an upward tendency.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Indra & Airavata, early 1940s | Painting
Selling price
INR7,50,000
Within estimate
Estimate
INR 7,50,000 – 9,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 1,673
Medium
Tempera on Japanese golden board
Dimensions
32.4 × 13.8 in (82 × 35 cm)
Lot
44 · Os.Mum/24.02.01
1943
Public Auction HighSculpture
Pundole · Indian Art: Classical to ModernMumbai · 09 April 2015
In 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Nati (1943), offered in the Indian Art: Classical to Modern by Pundole, which concluded on 09 April 2015 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹80,00,000 ($128,501.67). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Nati , 1943 | Sculpture
Selling price
INR80,00,000
433% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 10,00,000 – 15,00,000
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
11.5 in (29 cm)
Lot
217 · Pu.Mum/09.04.15
1943
Public Auction HighPainting
Asta Guru · Modern Indian ArtOnline · 21 August 2015
In 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1943), offered in the Modern Indian Art by Asta Guru, which concluded on 21 August 2015 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹2,91,37,012 ($442,611.28). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Untitled, 1943 | Painting
Selling price
INR2,91,37,012
1357% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 15,00,000 – 20,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 1,28,047
Medium
Watercolour and wash on paper pasted on board
Dimensions
18.5 × 12.3 in (47 × 31 cm)
Lot
10 · AG.Onl/21.08.15
1943
Public Auction HighPainting
Asta Guru · Masters LegacyMumbai · 11 March 2026
In 2026, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (Shiva Drinking World Poison) (1943), offered in the Masters Legacy by Asta Guru, which concluded on 11 March 2026 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹4,84,00,000 ($526,512.17). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Untitled (Shiva Drinking World Poison), 1943 | Painting
Selling price
INR4,84,00,000
61% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 2,00,00,000 – 3,00,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 60,117
Medium
Watercolour on paper
Dimensions
31 × 26 in (79 × 66 cm)
Signature
S/d: Bottom Left & Centre
Lot
4 · AG.Mum/11.03.26
Provenance
Property from an international collection. Artwork was acquired by the present owner directly from the artist, thence by descent
1945
Public Auction HighPainting
Sotheby's · Indian and Southeast Asian ArtNew York · 16 September 1999
In 1999, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Bhairagi (1945), offered in the Indian and Southeast Asian Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 16 September 1999 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹13,76,975 ($31,625). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Bhairagi, 1945 | Painting
Selling price
INR13,76,975
251% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 2,61,244 – 3,91,866
Rate per sq in
INR 1,444
Medium
Mixed media on canvas
Dimensions
27.2 × 35 in (69 × 89 cm)
Lot
190 · So.NeY/16.09.99
1945
Public Auction HighPainting
Pundole · Indian Art: Classical to ModernMumbai · 09 April 2015
In 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Krishna and Subal First Meeting Radha (1945), offered in the Indian Art: Classical to Modern by Pundole, which concluded on 09 April 2015 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹75,00,000 ($120,470.32). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Krishna and Subal First Meeting Radha, 1945 | Painting
Selling price
INR75,00,000
50% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 30,00,000 – 50,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 27,757
Medium
Tempera on wooden panel
Dimensions
23.5 × 11.5 in (60 × 29 cm)
Lot
215 · Pu.Mum/09.04.15
1947
Literary ReferencePainting
Osian's · Indian Antiquities, Modern and Contemporary Fine ArtsMumbai · 19 June 2015
This painting represents one of those complete masterpieces where Nandalal Bose manages to artistically incorporate all the five elements of nature in his narrative, which were a critical area of his artistic research and interest during the early-mid 1940s, best clarified through his writings in ‘On Art’ Madras: Kalakshetra Publications 1956.
“In these notes on arnamental art I have tried to show, so far, how the forms of natural objects … which have been used in our country for the purposes of decorative designing, could be reduced to certain typical shapes; adding the caution, however, that a mechanical insistance on these would tend to restrict creative variety, for the maintaining of which an everfresh study of nature is always needed. ... it has seemed to me that the various decorative designs may claim as their fundamental basis the forms of the Buddhist symbols for the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and sky. I now proceed to explain and illustrate my idea. ...Second Element: Water. The symbol for this is a sphere (in two dimensions, a circle). water, unsupported, tens to form spherical drops. Its shape depends on external containers or resistances. Its eddies due to contacts with earth are circular. The impact on it of air gives rise to wave forms. Being heavy as well as fluid, its lines of motion tend downward. All the forms so arising are to be found in scroll work. Third Element: Fire. The symbol is a cone, or triangle standing on its base, point upwards. This represents the shape of an undisturbed flame. its interaction with air results in waves and eddies; but as fire, unlike water, is devoid of weight, the lines of these have an upward tendency. Fourth Element: Air. The symbol is a crescent, emblematic of the forms created by the motion over earth and water. It is fluid, but being invisible, it can only manifest form throughits action on sand, dust, water, vapours etcetera. Its eddies and waves are prominently displayed in cloud shapes. Ascending spirals are characteristic of its lightness. Fifth Element: Sky. The symbol is an eggshell in shape - vaulted in each direction. The sky represents space itself, with no form of its own; but being the condition of every form, is thus fittingly symbolised by a vault-like cavity. The spaces, within and around the lines of a design, are as necessary parts of its form as are the lines themselves, and find their prototype in this element.”
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Sankaracharya with Disciples, 1947 | Painting
Selling price
INR79,20,000
Within estimate
Estimate
INR 60,00,000 – 90,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 22,430
Medium
Watercolour on paper
Dimensions
13.4 × 26.4 in (34 × 67 cm)
Lot
25 · Os.Mum/19.06.15
1951
Public Auction HighDrawing
Osian's · 101 Rare Artworks from the History of Indian Modern & Contemporary ArtMumbai · 23 June 2010
In 2010, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Dandiya Dance (1951), offered in the 101 Rare Artworks from the History of Indian Modern & Contemporary Art by Osian's, which concluded on 23 June 2010 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹31,20,000 ($67,372). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Dandiya Dance, 1951 | Drawing
Selling price
INR31,20,000
16% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 18,00,000 – 27,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 39,958
Medium
Brush and ink on silk (pasted on paper)
Dimensions
6.1 × 12.8 in (16 × 33 cm)
Lot
31 · Os.Mum/23.06.10
1952
Public Auction HighDrawing
HEART · The Intuitive-Logic II: Modern & Contemporary Indian Paintings, Drawings, Graphics, Sculpture & TapestryMumbai · 15 November 1997
In 1997, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1952), offered in the The Intuitive-Logic II: Modern & Contemporary Indian Paintings, Drawings, Graphics, Sculpture & Tapestry by HEART, which concluded on 15 November 1997 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹1,00,000 ($2,722). 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.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Untitled, 1952 | Drawing
Selling price
INR1,00,000
Below low estimate
Estimate
INR 1,30,000 – 1,75,000
Rate per sq in
INR 825
Medium
Brush on Monga silk
Dimensions
13.4 × 9.1 in (34 × 23 cm)
Signature
S/d in Bengali (4.4 1952), l.l.
Lot
20 · He.Mum/15.11.97
1996
Image 1/2
First Auction Appearance | BOOK.AUCPainting
Sotheby's · Indian and Southeast Asian ArtNew York · 19 September 1996
On 19 September 1996, Nandalal Bose made their debut in the Indian public auction market when Untitled was presented as Lot 197 in Indian and Southeast Asian Art, conducted by Sotheby's in New York, USA. This auction marked the artist's first recorded appearance in the public auction market, establishing the earliest chapter of their auction history.
Bose, Nandalal (Artist). Untitled, n.d. | Painting
Medium
Tempera on paper laid down on cardboard; mounted on masonite
Lot
197 · So.NeY/19.09.96
2011
Featured on Auction Catalogue Cover | Os.Del/15.12.11Auction Catalogue
Osians · Creative India Series 1New Delhi · 15 December 2011
In 2011, an artwork by Nandalal Bose was featured on the cover of Osians: Creative India Series 1 (December 2011, New Delhi), marking a documented highlight in the artist's public and auction market visibility.
Osians (Auction House) and Neville Tuli (Curator). Creative India Series 1. 15 December 2011 | Auction Catalogue
Lots offered
114
Lots sold
55 · 48%
Pages
331
Lot
Os.Del/15.12.11

Economics of Art

20 of 50

Research Centre

Posts 2

  1. Krishna Reddy's Spider Web and Jellyfish
    Krishna Reddy, one of the world's finest printmakers, developed complex viscosity printing techniques to build layered surfaces for his organic artforms, resembling webs or marine organisms which emerge through dense tonal structures. The insect or organism becomes a study of interconnected systems and movement, rooted through a brilliant aesthetic fusing of his individual creative spirit and his unique educational experiences and inspirations at Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan with Nandalal Bose, the Slade School of Art with Henry Moore, the Academie Grande Chaumiere with Ossip Zadkine, Atelier 17, Paris with Stanley Hayter and Academia Di Belle Arti Di Brera with Marino Marini during the period 1947-57.
  2. 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 3

  1. SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    ArchivedOpening 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
  2. SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    ArchivedExhibitionProject 81
    SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political History
    An Exhibition of Modern & Contemporary Fine & Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archive
    12th - 19th August 2026
    10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
    Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi,
    19
    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
  3. Self Discovery via Rediscovering India Series Part V Mahatma Gandhi
    ArchivedExhibitionProject 8
    Self Discovery via Rediscovering India Series Part V Mahatma Gandhi
    25th April 2025
    as part of the Rediscovering India via Self-Discovery Exhibition Series Part V
    Read More →
    +59 more

Related

51