The school opened on August 16, 1854 at Garanhata as a private art school. The school was shifted to the building of Mutty Lall Sealin Colootola in November, 1854. In 1859, Garick joined as Head Teacher. In 1864, it was taken over by the government and on June 29, 1864 Henry Hover Locke joined as its principal. It was soon renamed as the Government School of Art. Locke made a comprehensive scheme of Curriculum of studies for the institution. The venue of the school was shifted to 166, Bowbazar Street in the 1880s. After the death of Locke on December 25, 1885 M. Schaumburg became the new principal. A new post of an Assistant Principal was created and on January 29, 1886 an Italian artist O. Ghilardi joined the post. In February, 1892 the institute was shifted to its present site adjacent to the Indian Museum. After the death of its principal, Jobbins Ernest Binfield Havel joined the school as its principal on July 6, 1896.
Ernest Binfield Havel was the principal from 1896 to 1905. He attempted to reform teaching to emphasise Indian traditions, leading to the emergence of the style known as the Bengal school of art. Percy Brown was the next principal, who took over from the officiating Principal Abanindranath Tagore on January 12, 1909. He served as Principal up to 1927.[1] From August 15, 1905 to 1915, Abanindranath Tagore was the Vice-Principal of the college, and worked towards developing an Indian style of Art, which gave birth to the Bengal school of art,[2] an agenda that was to be pursued at the Kala Bhavan, Shantiniketan.
On July 11, 1928 Mukul Chandra Dey became the principal. In October 1931, it started its quarterly magazine, Our Magazine, which published the reproductions of the works of its students and the faculty. Mukul Dey was Principal of the institute till 1943.
Chintamoni Kar, was appointed Principal on August 1, 1956.
Notable alumni of this institute include Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Sashi Kumar Hesh,Atul Bose, Debi Prasad Roychoudhuri, Gopal Ghosh, Mukul Dey, Chintamoni Kar, Mrinal Kanti Das, Satyen Ghoshal, Upendra Maharathi, Somnath Hore, Rajen Tarafdar, Jainul Abedin, Rananayan Dutta, Hemen Majumdar, Haren Das, Shanu Lahiri,[3] Ganesh Pyne, Ganesh Haloi, Sunil Das, Badhan Das, Samir Mondal,[4] Ashok Bhowmik, Jogen Chowdhury, Sudip Roy,[5] Pulak Biswas, Niranjan Pradhan, Ananta Mandal, Akhil Chandra Das, Mrinal Kanti Ray, Suddhasattwa Basu, Sumantra Sengupta and Biman Bihari Das.
The journey that started under the guidance of Sir Henry Hover Locke did find at its helm, eminent artists like E.B. Havell, Percy Brown, and later Ramendranath Chakraborty, Mukul Dey and Chintamoni Kar.
Abanindranath Tagore, the key person behind the revival of the Oriental School of painting, had been, for 10 years, the Vice Principal of the institute till 1915.
Rabindranath Tagore stayed here for months and made approx 130 paintings, which were exhibited in the college gallery in 1932.
When Mukul Dey (1928 – 1943) was the Principal, the school started functioning as a co-educational institute. In 1951, the school turned out to be a full-fledged college and came to be known as Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta (GCAC). The college celebrated its first centenary in 1964 under Chintamoni Kar as the principal, eminent sculptor and a disciple of Sir Henry Moore.
Today, the college takes pride in imparting art-education to aspiring artists in pre-graduate, under-graduate and post-graduate levels. B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Arts), a degree with honours with the affiliation of the University of Calcutta (CU) was introduced in 1983, during the tenure of Isha Mohammad, the Vice Principal and Officer in Charge. The post-graduate course with M.V.A. (Master of Visual Art) degree was introduced in 1998, when Biman Bihari Das was the Principal of the College.
In 2003, the College changed its syllabus as per U.G.C. norms and the Ph.D. programme under the C U was started in 2005. In July 2007, GCAC received the permanent affiliation of U.G.C. (Govt. of India) with Grade ‘A’ from NAAC. During its long traverse down two centuries, it has been a witness of the changing art scenario in India.
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| 1854 In Calcutta, a society for the promotion of Industrial Art is established with representation from both Europeans and Indians, with Colonel Goodwyn as its President with Justice Hodgson Pratt and Babu Rajendralal Mitra as Secretaries.A prospectus issued on behalf of the committee on 6th April, proposes to start a school of Industrial Art in Calcutta, with a view to provide instruction in modelling, engraving and printing.The school opens on 16th August at Garanhata, Chitpur, in a house donated by Raja Pratap Chandra Singh and his brother Ishwar Chandra Singh.The school shifts to Colootala in the middle of November.1855 The first art exhibition by the students of the school is held from 22nd January to 3rd February.
On 10th and 11th October, the first annual exhibition with the works of students takes place.
1856
The first Government Grant of Rs.600/- is sanctioned by Lord Canning in July.
1864
Henry Hover Locke joins the school as Principal on 29th June.
The school comes under the control and supervision of the Director of Public Instruction, Govt of Bengal, and is shifted to 166 Bowbazar Street, Calcutta.
Locke introduces extensive changes in curriculum.
Students execute some useful works for the Asiatic Society.
1874-75
105 students complete the course in different disciplines.
An art gallery opens at 164 and 165 Bowbazar Street to engage the interest of the general public in art and to provide additional instructions through examples in various branches of art.
1892
A new chapter opens when the school gets its own building adjacent to the Indian Museum on Chowringhee ( 28 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata 700016 ), its present location.
1894
The Art Gallery in Bowbazar closes down.
1896
E. B. Havell joins as the principal on 6th July.
The Annual Examinations becomes a regular academic feature.
1901
At the educational conference in Simla, presided by Lord Curzon, the Viceroy, the matter of state aid and control is reiterated. Havell’s recommendations of emphasizing the original works based on Indian tradition and heritage is accepted.
1902-03
‘Delhi Durbar’ exhibition takes place at Qudsia Gardens and Abanindranath Tagore is honoured with a silver medal for his painting: Last Hours of Shajahan.
1905
Abanindranath Tagore, the first Indian artist to join the school as the Vice Principal who officiated as the Principal from 1906 to 1908.
Later on-
Some senior students including Nandalal Bose, accompanies Lady Harringham to Ajanta caves for making copies of the rare murals of Buddhist era.
Percy Brown takes over as the Principal and introduces some changes. For the first time, students were commissioned to prepare Industrial Art pattern Books for Dacca Silverware and Bengal Ivory carving.
1915
Abanindranath leaves the Govt School of Art.
1916
Jamini Prakash Ganguly, the next Vice Principal, divides the Fine Art stream into two sections: Fine Art and Indian Painting, with Percy Brown’s approval.
1925
Sashi Kumar Hesh, a student of the school in 1890s, becomes the first elected Indian associate of the Royal Scottish Academy.
1928
Mukul Chandra Dey, a member of Chicago Society of Etchers and a Royal College of Art Associate, becomes the principal in July. He was the most important practitioner of dry point-etching in India. He retired in July 1943.
1929
An exhibition of paintings by Jamini Roy takes place in September.
1932
An exhibition of Rabindranath Tagore’s paintings is inaugurated at the art school on 20th February.
1939
Co-education is introduced.
Later on-
Atul Bose, a GCAC alumnus & Royal Academician – a legendary master of the academic mode of painting, becomes the Principal.
A well curated portfolio of wood-cut prints is published by Ramendranath Chakraborty (the Principal), who introduced the first artistic publication of the original works done in GCAC. He retired in July 1943.
1951
The School of Art is declared as a College with effect from 2nd July, 1951.
1953
Nandalal Bose’s retrospective exhibition is held in the College.
1956
The system of convocation is re-introduced by Chintamoni Kar during the presidency of Nirmal Siddhanta, the Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University.
1964
The Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta, celebrates its centenary.
1983
B.V.A. (the Bachelor of Visual Art) degree course starts with the affiliation of CU.
1998
M.V.A. (the Master of Visual Art) degree is introduced.
2003
The college changes its syllabus as per U.G.C. norms.
2005
Ph.D. degree and Programme is introduced.
2007
The Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta, receives the U.G.C. affiliation on 15th July.
2009
The Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta, receives Grade ‘A’ from NAAC in January.
2015
Semistar introduce in the Post Graduate level.
2014
First P.H.D digree get from the college. Government School of Art originally known as the School of Industrial art was founded in 1854 as a private enterprise at Garanhata, Chitpur, and Calcutta "with the purpose of establishing an institution for teaching the youth of all classes, industrial art based on scientific methods." In 1864 the school was formally handed over to the Government and became known as the Government school of Art. Mr.H.H.Locke took the charge of the Principal (1864-1885) and the venue was changed to bowbazar street. The system of training too underwent a process of transformation primarily to give "the native youth of India an idea of men and things in Europe both present and past, not that they study European methods of limitations and apply them to representation of natural beauty, architectural monuments ethical varieties and national costumes in their own country. "The school was shifted to its present site in 1892. An Art gallery was attached to it Mr.Schaumburg (1886-1870) Mr.O.Ghilardi (who officiated as Principal, quite a number of times) and Mr.Wh.H.Jobbneins (1887-1895) were succeeded by Mr.E.B.Havell (1896-1905) as the Principal of Govt. School of Art. At his request eminent painter Rabindranath Tagore, accepted the post of the Vice-Principal. Rabindranath, with a group of young students enthusiastically started working for the development of an Indian style of Art. Mr.Havell was succeeded by Mr.Percy Brown (1909-1927) who again laid emphasis on academic style of work based on European techniques of painting. Rabindranath Tagore resigned in 1915 and was succeeded by Shri Jamini Prakash Ganguli, who officiated for a few months. On retirement of Mr. Brown, Shri Mukul Chandra Dey(1928-1943) took over as the first Indian Principal. It was during his tenure, that in 1939, the school started functioning as a co-educational institution. A good deal of emphasis was given on outdoor sketches and study works from this time. Not only technical proficiency but creative proficiency also started being highly appreciated. After an early retirement of Shri M.C.Dey, Shri Ramendranth Chakraborty officiated till Shri Atul Bose got the appoinment as Principal (1945-48). When Shri Bose decided to resign in 1948 Shri Ramendranath Chakraborty was given the appointment as principal (1948-55). The idea of turning the school into a full fledged College was already being toyed with since the time of Shri Atul Bose. In 1951 it as materialised and the institution there after came to be known as the Government College of Art and Craft, Calcutta. The day was marked by a befitting inaugural ceremony presided over by Dr.K.N.Katju, the then Governor of West Bengal. On sudden and untimely death of Prof. Chakraborty in 1955,Shri Sushil Chandra Sen, Vice - Principal officiated until Shri Chintamoni Kar (1956-1973) was appointed the Principal. The centenary celebration of the college was performed with due dignity during his tenure of office in 1964.The function was presided over by Prof.O.C.Ganguly. A centenary volume was published that holds in record the history and achievements of the institution. Shri.S.N.Ghosal, Vice-Principal took over the charge of the college in 1973, on retirement of Prof.Chintamoni Kar and was subsequently appointed as principal in 1976. |