Tracing the artistic legacy of Chunnilal Dutta Gupta: from early sketches to iconic paintings

This month, the walls of the Lalit Kala Akademi pay homage to Bengal: its Baul singers, river banks and the serene rhythms of the countryside. This, courtesy of artist Chunnilal Dutta Gupta’s acrylic brushstrokes. But, long before the artist became attached to these iconic portraits of Baul musicians and the serene poetry of rural landscapes, a young Gupta would finish college, roam the grounds of Kolkata, and sit on the banks of the Ganges, sketchbook in hand, teaching himself the art of observation that paved the way for his artistic journey.

Born in Mymensingh district (now in Bangladesh), Gupta left for school in 1940 and moved to Calcutta with his elder brother Makhan Lal Dutt Gupta. A move that, like many journeys of that time, was full of displacement and hope. He later studied at the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Calcutta, where the city’s vibrant cultural scene shaped his artistic vocabulary. “My school was near Kalighat, called Kala Dhan. I looked up to the people there and they became a source of inspiration for many of my works.” During the course, Gupta had to make a life-changing choice whether to pursue sculpture, fine art, or commercial art. Thinking about the financial aspect, Gupta took up commercial art.

Acrylic Painting by Chunnilal Dutta Gupta Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Graduating with a first rank in 1953 was not only an academic milestone but also a door that led him into the world of advertising. He started his career at J Walter Thompson’s in Calcutta, a place teeming with creative energy of painters and artists. Gupta, who once sketched river banks and local people, now finds himself creating products for clients and characters for campaigns. At Thompson, he met Charles Moorhouse, who gave him his first project: “At that time, Horlicks had come to the Indian market, and he wanted me to sketch advertising for it. He told me he had seen my sketches, and was impressed, he wanted me to work with him.”

After this he started working for newspapers like Jugantar, PoliticianAnd daily basumatiIn 1957, the artist was transferred to the Madras branch of the agency – a move that shaped his life for decades. He found warmth in the city’s artistic circles, forming friendships with artistic giants. “I met RK Swamy, who was the manager of JWT Madras, which later became Hindustan Thompson Associates. He was one of the people who supported me during my time in Madras,” he said.

Chunnilal Dutta Gupta at Lalit Kala Academy. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When Gupta retired in 1995, he returned to the easel as a full-time painter. His art evolved into an exploration of deeply personal themes that resonated with lives lost in an isolated Bengal, and included scenes of rural life, fishing and musicians.

His work found patrons at Sarala Art Gallery, Chennai, through whom he painted portraits of Indian icons such as CV Raman, Dr. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Mary Clubwala Jadhav, as well as Dr. Sri Prakash of Greenways Group and Dr. KM Cherian of Frontier Lifeline Hospital. His artworks adorn the walls of the University of Madras and their Convocation Hall, the Government Museum Chennai and private collections in India, USA and South Korea. He has also illustrated a book by historian S. Muthiah, named, Madras i.e. Chennai – Queen of Coromandel.

At 96, Chunnilal Dutta Gupta still starts some mornings by picking up a pencil. Advertisement The deadline has passed, the river bank is far away, but his love for sketching is still alive.

The exhibition continues till date at the Lalit Kala Akademi.