Made in 1937, the crosshatched lines of this small drypoint create a softly exquisite print. Ramendranath Chakravorty observes ongoing work in one medium through the means of another, and in doing so leaves us a compelling fragment of the life and times of printmakers in mid-20th century Bengal.
The youngish man in this image is seen working at the creation of a colour woodblock print. The woodblock print, being a relief method (as opposed to engraving), is most usually printed by a method called "spooning". Indeed, sometimes an actual spoon is used, but more advanced woodblock printmakers use a curved plate known as a "baren" that is larger than a real spoon and specially designed to fit the hand. This is the case in Ramendranath's image above. The printmaker has situated the inked wooden block at a slight incline away from his body, and is using his specially designed "spoon" (baren) to press the image onto a piece of paper.
The background details add further interest: a small table with shelves that seem to hold more tools, and what appears to be a cloth blind on a large window...perfect for letting in a soft diffusion of natural light by which to work. Indeed, this image very much reminds me of Mukul Dey's former studio Kalika that I was recently lucky enough to visit. Dey worked in just such a position as the man in this image, and also situated himself near a large window whose light would be softened with thin sheets of linen. But of course Dey worked mostly upon drypoints and etchings.
Just who the printmaker is in this image is a matter of speculation. Chakravorty is well known for being among the first of Bengali artists who pursued the colour woodblock print techniques that came to India via contact with Japanese artists and their students. In Taking a Colour Print he documents the use of this technique in the Bengal of his time, and in the process also reminds us of the skill in etching and drypoint that was concurrently practiced at Santiniketan and in Calcutta.
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