IT IS WIDELY KNOWN that artists are often influenced by aspects of cultures’ other than their own. For example, Paul Gaugin was influenced by the culture and arts of Polynesia, other parts of Asia, and Africa.

Likewise, artists in nineteenth century Bengal were influenced by Western European artistic styles and techniques.

Recently, at a stand in London’s Frieze Masters 2026, I saw a painting by an unknown Bengali artist. Created in the nineteenth century, the painting depicts a Hindu mythological subject: “Annapurna feeding Lord Shiva”. What is interesting about this artwork is that the painter has been influenced by european artistic techniques. This is evident in the modelling of the figures, the use of perspective, and the naturalistic backdrop, which evokes the style of eighteenth century and earlier European artists.

Although artists in Bengal adopted European painting techniques, they began to abandon them in the early twentieth century as aspirations for Indian independence began to grow,