Answer: Class differences in society
The young artists in Calcutta wanted their art to talk about class differences in society.
Seeing abject poverty around them and the plight of people in villages and cities, many young artists in Calcutta were drawn to socialism, especially Marxism. This modern philosophy, which was taught by Karl Marx in the mid–nineteenth century in the West, asked important questions about class difference in society and appealed to these artists. They wanted their art to talk about these social problems. Chittoprasad and Somnath Hore, the two political artists of India, found printmaking to be a strong medium to express these social concerns. With printmaking, it is easier to produce multiple artworks and reach out to more people. Chittoprasad’s etchings, linocuts and lithographs showed the deplorable condition of the poor. It is not surprising that he was asked by the Communist Party of India to travel to villages worst affected by the Bengal Famine and make sketches. These were later published as pamphlets under the name, Hungry Bengal, much to the annoyance of the British. |
