Lesson 1/44 min
Zainul Abedin (1914-1976)
Profile
- Famous Bengali painter of the twentieth century, known as ‘Shilpacharya’.
- He won international fame by drawing the 1943 famine of Bengal.
- He founded the folk art museum and the Institute of Fine Arts.
- Died 28 May 1976 in Dhaka; buried on the Dhaka University campus, beside the Central Mosque.
Museums
| Name | Where |
|---|---|
| Zainul Collection (Sangrahashala) | Mymensingh |
| Zainul Folk and Crafts Museum | Sonargaon |
Notable works
| Work | Note |
|---|---|
| Madonna-43 | From the 1943 famine |
| Nabanna | A 65-foot-long picture of the rural harvest festival |
| Manpura 70 | Its subject is the tidal surge |
| Others | Sangram, Moi Tana, Rebel Cow, Gayer Badhu, Santal Ramani, Kak, Nouka, Gun Tana, Bir Muktijoddha (1971) |
Memory trick: Famine 1943 = Madonna-43. Rural festival = Nabanna. Tidal surge = Manpura 70.
Check yourself
Who drew the pictures of the 1943 famine?
At a glance
- 1
Zainul Abedin is ‘Shilpacharya’; he lived 1914-1976.
- 2
Famous for his 1943 famine pictures; ‘Madonna-43’ is his.
- 3
Zainul Collection is in Mymensingh; the Folk and Crafts Museum in Sonargaon.
- 4
‘Nabanna’ is a 65-foot picture; the subject of ‘Manpura 70’ is the tidal surge.