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.