The masterpiece 'Santhal Maiden' is a wonderful dry point etching print by Mukul Chandra Dey who is regarded as a revered Indian artist for bringing etching techniques to India. The works of art by him capture Indian life, fantasy, and cultural landscapes which mostly include images of common people with authenticity and realism. This print depicts the figure of a young girl from the Santhal tribe, and shows the simplicity, strength, and beauty of tribal life.
Most of the works of Mukul Chandra Dey are scenes depicting rural Bengal. The pictures show Baul singers, local bazaars, and riverbanks in the towns and hamlets among the Santhals in Birbhum, West Bengal. Santhals, one of the largest tribal communities of India, are scattered across Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. They express their folklore through rhythm and dance, and tribal paintings are fully developed based on their vigorous musical art traditions.
Mukul Chandra Dey has also worked in portrait etching, carrying out portraits of eminent personalities like Tagore, Gandhi, Einstein, and the Tatas. His works related to the Santhals can be seen as cultural documentation of indigenous life in early 20-th century Indian context.