Who painted 'Shiva drinking the poison' ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
Nandalal Bose was a pivotal figure in the Bengal School of Art, a movement that sought to revitalize Indian painting traditions by rejecting Western academic styles and drawing inspiration from Indian culture and mythology. His masterful work, which is sometimes cataloged as "Siva drinking World Poison," embodies the core tenets of the Bengal School. Bose, a student of Abanindranath Tagore and later the Principal of Kala Bhavan at Santiniketan, often depicted scenes from Hindu mythology to evoke a sense of national pride and spiritual depth. This particular painting portrays the supreme act of sacrifice where Lord Shiva consumes the deadly poison *Halahala* that emerged during the churning of the cosmic ocean, thereby saving the world. His style for this subject is characterized by the fluid wash technique and a dramatic, emotional rendering of the narrative.

The incorrect option is 1:
Ravishankar Raval was a highly respected artist, critic, and art teacher, primarily associated with the art of Gujarat and is often referred to as the 'Kala Guru' (Art Teacher) of the state. While he was a contemporary of Nandalal Bose and also worked in a distinct Indian style, his contribution and focus remained largely centered on the regional art movement of Gujarat and the themes specific to that area. Raval's work, though important to Indian art history, does not include this iconic Bengal School masterpiece.

The incorrect option is 2:
Sunaina Devi, a sister of Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore, was one of the pioneering women artists of the early 20th-century Bengal School. She is recognized for her simplified compositions and figures, primarily working with mythological themes. However, the specific, famous painting depicting the *Halahala* myth, known for its dramatic rendering and characteristic wash technique, is firmly cataloged as a work by Nandalal Bose, not Sunaina Devi. Her own body of work possesses a very distinct, gentle stylistic signature.

The incorrect option is 3:
Kalyan Sen is an Indian contemporary artist who works in different media like painting and sculpture. His period of prominence and artistic style do not align with the early 20th-century revivalist movement of the Bengal School that produced this particular mythological work. The painting in question belongs to a specific historical and stylistic period that predates the bulk of Kalyan Sen's artistic career, which is typically later and more modern in its approach.