Caricature of musicians

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Shivadasan
Posts: 251
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:52

Caricature of musicians

Post by Shivadasan »

I am searching for a copy of one of the annual souvenirs of Bharatiya Fine Arts society, Matunga, Bombay issued in the years 1959-61 wherein the caricatures of musicians like Palghat mani Iyer, Lagudi Jayaraman, T.N.Krishnan etc drawn by T.S. Mani appeared.

Does any one have a copy of the same ? Can any one lead me to the person having a copy of the same ?

Shivadasan

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by arasi »

We did have a thread about Mali's caricatures of musicians which appeared in the tamizh weekly Anandavigadan (in te forties). Yes, if only someone has copies of those souvenirs! The recent caricatures of CM artistes I've seen are those by young vocalist Subhiksha Rangarajan. She has sketched some of her fellow-artistes while listening to their concerts this season. She's very good. Amruta Murali and Vidya Kalyanaraman came alive in her pictures!
Pratyaksham Bala (who brought to us vintage pictures) is the one who can find a lead, I guess. Mumbai dwellers can help too.

Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

arasi:
Thanks.

Shri GNB by Cartoonist Mali, Kalki 27.6.1937:-
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Oeuzs-1w68c/S ... ARTOON.jpg

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by arasi »

PBala,
Ah, in typical bhAgavatar mode! Thanks!
Mali stole our hearts with his caricatures in the forties. Season is mega color photograph spreads these days. We had Mali to bring season's flavor to us. I was doubly pleased when I saw Mali's picture of Mali playing the flute (or not!).He captured MMI with all his spirit. Wonder if you can find one--may be from the old thread. He also illustrated SVV's stories--Swami and his Friends of RKNarayanan in its tamizh version of the story in serial form also had his illustrations. Even the thirties stories were available to us--in bound form. They elders did not throw away magazines--they picked their favorite stories and essays and put hem together when they ended in book form. The rest went to the paper merchant for a few annas! How much vintage stuff I read as a youngster, thanks to them!

Pratyaksham Bala
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Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

"Concert by Musiri Subramania Iyer for the Academy, as seen by cartoonist Mali. The violinist is Semmangudi Narayanaswami Iyer and the mridangam-artiste is Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer."
http://madrasmusings.com/Vol%2020%20No% ... ic%201.jpg

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by arasi »

thanks PB!

Dhanavendra
Posts: 49
Joined: 18 Nov 2008, 16:16

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Dhanavendra »

Although caricatures started as political satires in the olden days, it has been made well use of in depicting cultural mellieu also. The sixties and seventies were the golden period when television had not invaded society like it has done today.
A few years back in 'THE HINDU' Friday supplement, there was a huge caricature of Sanjay rendering Thodi or Kamboji I don't remember. I think it was by Keshav or Surendar. Truely it captured Sanjay's histrionics. Hope someone can find them.

Pratyaksham Bala
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Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

.
Caricatures of Musicians done by Cartoonist Keshav:-
http://keshavcaricatures.blogspot.in/se ... results=50

There are 70 sketches!

.

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Rsachi »

Delicious puzzle indeed! What is Mama up to?

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by arasi »

A good one: what is he up to? ;)
From what I gather, he was up to something often times. Had he been around, he might have answered: give me the day and the time, I will tell you! Yes, he would have remembered!

An animated cartoon of him!

sreebeecane
Posts: 145
Joined: 03 Nov 2011, 22:10

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by sreebeecane »

Here are some caricatures done by the cartoonist Mali: https://picasaweb.google.com/1029467609 ... redirect=1

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Rsachi »

Thanks a lot, Sreebeecane! These are extraordinary 'character' sketches indeed. Like one would think of in Dickens. It is a matter of pride that both in posture and posterior, our CM greats made a statement. Likewise in their nose, pout, profile and tuft.
One question: Mali seems to have sketched them sitting on the stage. The violinists are shown from the vocalist's vantage,whereas Mani Iyer is as seen by the Khanjira vidwan. Any ideas?

Mali seems to have been a most perspicacious artist. Thanks again.

Ponbhairavi
Posts: 1075
Joined: 13 Feb 2007, 08:05

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Ponbhairavi »

. A puzzle indeed! The picture of kumbakonam Alaganambi also .
Last edited by Ponbhairavi on 05 Jul 2012, 12:27, edited 1 time in total.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Rsachi »

Long ago, we used to joke that nobody had seen Vellore Ramabhadran's face from the left (so proper was his demeanour), like the other side of the moon! Maybe Mali wanted us to get that unseen view in all these artistes!

Ponbhairavi
Posts: 1075
Joined: 13 Feb 2007, 08:05

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Ponbhairavi »

May be for these two artists the cartonist sat behind the stage and drew . For some singers we find that he has taken position on the right side of the stage and for some others he has taken position to the left side of the stage(profile view)The violinists Semmangudy Narayanaswamy and T Chowdiah are aso drawn as seen from behind the stage.
perhaps P.Bala who is himself a caricaturist and an artist may know better.

maduraimini
Posts: 477
Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 02:55

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by maduraimini »

Prathyaksham Bala,
Thanks for the cartoons of Keshav. He is new to me as I am from the Mali era. Some of them are very good like T.N.Seshagopalan, Lalgudi, Semmangudi and others. Sreebeecane, Thanks for Mali's old cartoons. We used to love seeing his cartoons in Ananda Vikatan.

Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

"In the 1940s, Ananda Vikatan had a section called "Maamaangathukku Maamaangam".
It had pictures of famous Carnatic musicians drawn by Maali. There would be two pictures — one of the vidwan as he looked then, another of him as he had looked twelve years earlier. The pictures were accompanied by an editorial note on how the musician had evolved over the years."

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/0 ... 130400.htm

Hope someone is able to locate these old issues of Ananda Vikatan.
.
Last edited by Pratyaksham Bala on 06 Jul 2012, 08:46, edited 1 time in total.

Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

.
Mali's carricature and Kalki's article on GNB's concert, in ANANDA VIKATAN of 1937 !
http://ennapadampanchajanya.blogspot.in ... -2010.html

.

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by Rsachi »

Pratyaksham Bala, here is a ready example of sharing the heritage. Thanks a lot, Sir.

The MA photo caption misses Ariyakudi seated to the right of HMB?

It seems on far left of GNB is seated Palani Subrahmanya Pillai?

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Caricature of musicians

Post by arasi »

Yes. Though PMI has accompanied GNB in this concert, Pazhani would have been in the audience and was asked to join in when they took the picture, I think.

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