Zainul Abedin

Zainul Abedin was a legendary artist of exceptional talent and

international repute. He was born in Mymensingh in 1914.
Zainul grew up in place dominated by a very famous river of
Bangladesh called Brahmaputra and natural views of that area
were very appealing and enchanting. So, that beautiful natural
environment created an enthusiasm in Zainul regarding art.

So, to learn art, in 1933 Zainul took admission in Calcutta

Government Art School. He studied there for five years and
passed out with the first-class result and he was the first Muslim
boy to have that kind of good result. Zainul also worked there as
faculty after his graduation from the same school.

He had dissatisfaction with the Orientalist style of art which is

heavily mannered and static. Therefore, he preferred to modern
art. But finally, he moved to the realism or realistic art that
depict the real scenario of a society.

In 1951, he went to Slade School of Art in London for a two-

year training. After completing his two years of training from an
art school in London, he began a new style, the "Bengali style",
and by this style he tried to portray the folk culture.

He was also well known for his leadership qualities in

organising artists and art activities. He played a pioneering role
in the modern art movement in Bangladesh. He also established
the Government Institute of Arts and Crafts (now Institute of
Fine Arts) in 1948 in Dhaka of which he was the founding
principal.

A series of water colours that Zainul did as his tribute to the

river Brahmaputra earned him the Governor’s Gold Medal in an
all-India exhibition in 1938.

In 1974 he received Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the

University of Delhi, India.

Since he was man realism, he visited Palestinian camps in Syria

and Jordan in 1970 and made 60–70 paintings of the refugees
there. He also painted the condition of Bhola after a devastating
cyclone that took place in 1970.

His most famous work is a series of paintings that he created in

1943 and those paintings are collectively known as “Famine
Sketches”. And in those images, he tried to show the
catastrophic aftermath of man-made famine.

His another famous work is a 65 feet scroll painting called

Nabanna that he drew in celebration of the 1969 mass
movement.

In 1975, Zainul Abedin set up a folk museum (shilpacharya

zainul abedin museum) at Sonargaon, and a gallery, which is
known as Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala , in Mymensingh to
house some of his works. In 1982, 17 of the 70 pictures housed
in Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala were stolen. Only 10 were later
recovered.

Though Zainul Abedin was an Artist of mid-twentieth century,

his creations hold resemblance of recent events. For instance,
according to a report of Indian Express, published on September
5 in 2014, it is hard to imagine that the drawing which dates
back to the early ’70s, finds resonance in the current Palestinian
conflict. For example, One of his paintings depicts a Palestinian
woman hugging her child close. Her eyes clouded with pain and
anxiety — of an uncertain future, danger and death. And this is
how his creations remain alive.

He died on 28 May 1976 in Dhaka due to lung cancer.

Akabar
Introduction:
• Akbar was born on 15 November/October in 1542 in
Sindh (now in Pakistan).
• He was the third Mughal emperor after Humayan
• Akbar was the son of Mughal emperor Humayan. His
mother was Hamida Banu Begum.
• His father named him Jalal-ud-din Muhammad.
Personality:
• Akbar was a man of sound judgment and therefore he was
very good at examining things. And he was also prudent in
affairs that means he was a farsighted man who could guess
upcoming events or dangers. And above all he was kind,
affable, amicable and generous person.
• He also had courage to carry out great enterprises.
• Akbar couldn’t read and write but he always had massive
thirst for knowledge.
• The great king was very fond of having books read to him.
Under his orders many Sanskrit books were translated into
Persian.
• He would possess an intimate knowledge of military and
political matters.
• He was also very enthusiastic about Art and literature.
• Beside art and literature, the king also had attraction to
science.
• Akbar was physically very fit and strong. Unlike many
other kings of that time, he used to appreciate physical
activities a lot.
• He would love nothing better than hunting wild and
dangerous animals.
• As a soldier he was brave to the point of recklessness. He
could travel for days riding horses and other animals.
• It was not usual for him to lose temper. If he did so, he
would become very violent. However, his wrath was never
of long duration.
• Akbar had personal magnetism and charm in abundant
measure.
• He was a brave enough fighter and an able general who
was never averse to fighting. But he preferred the gains of
affection to the gains of the sword.
• Overall, the great king Akbar was a charismatic persona.