The Portrait of the Woman is an exceptional watercolor belonging to the Bengal School of Painting, a major chapter in Indian modern art. This painting, bringing about a donation from the Allahabad Museum, shows a tribal woman with curly hair dressed in colorful attire. Done in a technique of sketching, this work indicates the artist's remarkable power of observation and apparent interest in ethnic beauty and cultural variations.
The Bengal School of Paintings was a nationalistic art movement initiated in the early years of the 20th century as a means of reviving Indian arts without the Western influences in it. This school was headed by Abanindranath Tagore, and it was comprised of artists painting rural life, mythology, and tribal existence. There was a clear indication in all its works of the characteristic of the style: free-flowing and elegant in water coloring, as in this work.
Tribal identity is yet not specified in it, but under the regional influence and artistic jurisdiction, the subject of the painting could be presented as pertaining to the Santhal or Oraon tribes of Bengal and Jharkhand. These tribes are good custodians of their rich cultural heritage, distinctive dresses, and profound attachment to nature.
In these aspects, the painting bears a strong resemblance to the work of folks such as Nandalal Bose and Mukul Dey, who have evidenced the rural and tribal life incidents frequently in their sketches and paintings.