Biswanath Mukerji Village Scene, 1955 Born in 1921, Biswanath Mukerji was raised in the sacred city of Benaras and set out on a path of art and self-discovery as a teenager, leaving home to follow his creative calling. From 1939 to 1945, he trained at the Government School of Arts in Lucknow, where he studied under some of the most respected artists of the time—Asit Kumar Haldar, Lalit Mohan Sen, Hiranmoy Roychoudhuri, and Bireswar Sen. Under Haldar’s guidance, who was himself a student of Abanindranath Tagore, Mukerji mastered the delicate wash technique in watercolour painting. Deeply inspired by the ideals of the neo-Bengal School, Mukerji found his voice primarily as a landscape painter, although his practice extended across many forms. Over a career spanning four decades, he produced an extraordinary body of work marked by a quiet luminosity and a distinct resonance with Indian folk traditions. His art was not confined to studios or galleries; he believed in making it accessible and relevant to the wider public. A vital presence in art circles across cities like Lucknow and Meerut, Mukerji was a passionate advocate for the role of art in everyday life. After his passing in New Delhi in 1984, he was honoured with the title of Kala Ratna by the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society—a fitting tribute to a life devoted to art, education, and the human spirit. #UnseenArtOfIndia #art #india #indianart