Delhi
Suhas Roy’s Radha
05th – 11th August, 2025
Bengal, the Land of Shri Chaitanya Dev, is the origin soil of Bhaktism. This Bhaktism, which has retained its influence over literature, philosophy, and society life of Bengal, has also made its rooted impact in the expressions of art and artists as well. The genius of Poet Jayadeva lies in his portrayal of Radha-Krishna as mortal beings, which has resulted in their love story becoming deeply intertwined with the lives of Bengal. Even today, this school of creation continues to captivate and inspire, bearing witness to the power of art to shape culture. The portrayal of divine idols as human beings is not just limited to literature but also holds significant importance in the realm of art. Since the advent of different periods, the distinguished forms of Radha and Krishna have been portrayed in varied depictions and have become lively with the strokes of various mythological scenes. While the style of miniature painting became more prominent in early Bengali painting, these forms and figures developed into human characters towards the end of the 19th century. Those implications of Radha Krishna were quite visible in the paintings of Bamapada Bandopadhyay. The tradition found more permanency in the works of artists Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, and others. Artist Kshitindranath Majumdar’s ‘Geetgovinda’ series is one such part of this fascinating rendition.
undivided Bengal has deeply inspired artist Suhas Roy since his childhood. When he was a child, the idols of gods and goddesses or the oleographs of Raja Ravi Varma were the inspiration for him to develop an artist’s soul. From his student self till various periods of his life, Suhas Roy has successfully enriched himself by capturing numerous aspects of cities and villages in his own style. However, the artist’s printmaking skills and imaginative prowess are astounding. His works continue to leave us in awe, even today. After returning from France to Calcutta, where he went to pursue a higher degree in graphics artform, we came to observe a different and elevated form of abstraction in Suhas Roy’s creations. Suhas Roy embarked on a new artistic journey when he dedicated himself to creating art featuring the divine Shri Radha. He began the series by painting “Radha-Krishna”, drawing inspiration from various mythological stories. The series quickly gained popularity among the populace, with “Radha” becoming an iconic subject among art enthusiasts. Suhas Roy brought the canvas to life with his fascinating use of dry pastels and the Western Light and Shadow influence. Each depiction of Radha in Roy’s series has become a unique entity of its own; to be more precise, Suhas Roy’s ‘Radha.’
