Christ

Jamini Roy (1887-1972) was one of the most important artists of the modern period in India, drawing on the popular and folk traditions of rural Bengal for his inspiration. He developed his own personal style which was characterised by bold lines and flat use of colour.

This sketch is one of a series in the V&A collection which show his experimentation with different subject matter. This is an instance of the artist's early exploration of Christian themes. The work depicts an imposing and very elongated Christ figure with folded arms. The figure has a long, slender trunk, a rectangular abdomen and very short thick legs. The drawing is executed in pen and ink on a pale grey card.