The Art of Sunayani Devi as a Feminine Voice of Resistance

12 NOV 2024

In the early 20th century, while many Bengali artists embraced Western realism, Sunayani Devi stood apart. As a self-taught artist, she drew on folk traditions, mythology, and her own experiences to depict the inner worlds of Indian women, offering a unique, culturally rooted perspective inspired by the Bengal Renaissance.

Sunayani Devi (middle) and her paintings (photo credits: DAG)

Sunayani Devi’s art offers a heartfelt glimpse into the lives of women within colonial India, capturing experiences often overshadowed by male-centered narratives focused on history and European ideals. Sunayani Devi’s paintings were revolutionary in capturing the essence of the “female gaze”. Her paintings, imbued with a feminine sensibility, highlight the beauty of intimate moments like women at home, in quiet reflection, or immersed in spirituality. Through these scenes, Sunayani reveals the depth and richness of domestic life and spirituality, drawing attention to a world rarely acknowledged in mainstream art. Sunayani Devi’s unique modernist style is marked by a sense of spontaneity, flowing lyrical lines, naturalness, freedom, simplicity, and vibrant colours, reminiscent of the captivating essence found in primitive art. According to art historian Stella Kramrisch, her artistic creations were a result of her intuitive approach, as she believed in letting her instincts take the lead.

Sunayani Devi’s paintings challenged prevailing ideas of “serious” art by focusing on the everyday yet profound experiences of Indian womanhood. In an era when Indian artists were urged to adopt British standards, her work subtly defied these expectations. By choosing to depict mythological and domestic scenes with folk-art techniques, Sunayani resisted colonial ideals that dismissed local art forms, asserting the value of culturally rooted expression.

Sunayani Devi’s art style was similar to traditional Bengali folk art, known for using flat, bold colors, simple shapes, and strong outlines. This style was very different from Western art, which valued techniques like perspective (creating a sense of depth) and realism. Instead, Sunayani’s art focused more on storytelling, which was central to Indian folk traditions. Her figures weren’t made to look realistic but rather symbolic, representing stories or ideas in a straightforward, traditional way rather than with the detailed, three-dimensional look common in European art.

Paintings of Sunayani Devi (Photo credits: DAG)

Mythology was a big part of Sunayani Devi’s art, but she had her own way of interpreting it. While other artists at the time painted gods and legends in a grand, distant style, Sunayani made them feel personal and grounded. Her paintings of figures like Radha and Krishna aren’t just about their divine qualities; instead, they focus on the emotions of the characters, bringing out their humanity. To her, mythological stories were not distant tales—they were relatable and connected to everyday life.

This approach gave Sunayani’s art a feminine perspective, especially in how she depicted women’s experiences within these stories. Her portrayals of Radha, for example, go beyond typical religious symbolism, showing feelings of longing and devotion. Rather than presenting gods in an idealized way, Sunayani added emotional depth, making them relatable to Indian women who, like her, found comfort and meaning in spirituality despite daily struggles.

Sunayani Devi’s art was both personal and rooted in her culture, which quietly went against what the British and elite Indian society thought of as “fine art.” Instead of following European ideas like realism and perspective or copying the styles of famous, formally trained male artists of her time, she embraced local storytelling, folk traditions, and focused on women’s lives in a unique way.

This low-key resistance makes her an important figure in Indian art history. By sticking to her Indian roots instead of European techniques, she reclaimed space in art for herself and for Indian women, showing why native perspectives matter. Her work shows a quiet defiance, refusing to let the standards of others overshadow her style, and celebrates what makes Indian art, especially from a woman’s viewpoint, truly unique and resilient.

In a time when colonialism pushed for everything to be the same, Sunayani’s art is proof of how powerful art can be to keep, rethink, and celebrate identity. Through her traditional style and focus on the inner lives of women, she created a space for Indian art that was both deeply personal and independently bold.