EB Havell

The art traditions of India witnessed a steady decline in the 19th century, and Bengal was not too isolated to the deterioration. What could survive during those times were only the Kalighat folk paintings. In 1854, the Calcutta school of Art came into existence. Here, E.B. Havel, Head of the Calcutta School of Art, set for himself the twofold task of propagating a truer appreciation abroad of India’s cultural heritage and of weaning young Indians from indiscriminate admiration of Western art, specially its decadent and uninspiring products. In this, he was helped by Dr AK. Coomaraswamy and Abanindranath Tagore. While Dr Coomaraswamy rendered invaluable service in interpreting and popularizing our artistic heritage, the Indian Society of Oriental Art under Abanindranath’s patronage helped to free young artists who had allowed them to be hypnotized by the West from its spell.