Chintamoni Kar :

Born at Khargapur in West Bengal, Prof. Chintamoni Kar received his training in sculptural art, painting and conservation in Calcutta, Paris, London and Brussels. Beginning his career as a teacher in school, lecturer in art and sculpture at University of Calcutta, Delhi Polytechnic, Chelsa school of Art, London he served for a long period of seventeen years as the Principal of the Govt. College of Art & Craft, Calcutta. He had also the additional charge of the Keeper, Arts & Crafts, Indian Museum. Prof. Kar was elected member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and the International Institute for Conservation of historic and artistic work, London. His awards include Padmabhusan by the President of India; Deshikottama by the Viswabharati University and D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) by the Rabindra Bharati University.

Biographical Notes :

• 1915 - Born at Kharagpur, West Bengal.
• 1930 - Joined the India Society of Oriental Art School.
• 1935-37   Worked as School Teacher
• 1938-39 - Became a student at Academic de la Grande Chaumie're under Professor
  R. Wlerick for sculpture and stone carving at the atelier of Victor Giovanelli, Paris.
• 1940-42 - Lecturer in Art, University of Calcutta.
• 1943-45 - Lecturer in Sculpture, Art Department, Delhi Polytechnic.
• 1946 - Settled in London as a practicing artiste.
• 1947 - Elected member Royal Society of British Sculptors.
• 1948 - Awarded Silver Medal and Diploma for Great Britain at the International Competition of Sport in Art, XIV Olympiad, London.
• 1950 - Held exhibition of Sculpture & Painting at Galerie des Garets, Paris, sponsored by the French Ministry of Fine Arts & Indian Embassy, Paris.
• 1956 - Appointed Principal Government College of Art and Craft, Calcutta.
• 1959 - Elected Member, International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Work, London.
• 1960-61 - Worked in Conservation Laboratory of Musee Du Louvre and at the Institute Royal du Patrimoine, Artistigue, Brussels.
• 1964 - Visited West Germany's "DOCUMENTA" Exhibition on invitation
• 1969 - Visited USSR, Mongolia, GDR and Rumania on a Cultural Exchange invitation.
  Held One-man show of Sculpture under the auspices of the Ministry of Fine Arts, Rumania
• 1973 - Retired from Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta
• 1974 - Awarded Padmabhusan by the President of India.
• 1983-85 - Emeritus Fellow, Government of India.
• 1986 - D'Litt (Honoris Causa) Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta.
• 1990 - Documentary film "Graven Image" shoot on his works.
• 1993 - Documentary film "The Sculptor Speaks" shoot on him.
• 1995 - Awarded Deshikottam : Viswa Bharati University, Santiniketan.

Author of the following Books :

English :

• Classical Indian Sculpture, London, 1950 / Kolkata, 2003
• Indian Metal Sculpture, London, 1952 / Kolkata, 2010
• Guide Book the Art section and Art Gallery, Indian Museum, Calcutta, 1958

Bengali :

• Pharasi Silpi O Samaj (1940).
• Sannidhya (1959).
• Smriti Chinhita (1960).
• Tukra Chabir Saogat (Poetry, 1988).
• Shilpi O Rupakala (1996).
• Sanchita Atit (2006).

Works Exhibited at Notable Places :

• Grand Salon Pari, 1938.
• Royal Academy, London, 1948 to 1958. Royal Society of British Artists, London, 1948 to 1950.
• National Exhibition, Lalit Kala Akademy, New Delhi, 1955 to 1960.
• Sau Paulo Biennale, Brazil, 1962.
• Triennale, New Delhi 1971.

Sri Kar's Works in other public and private collections :

• Central Museum, Lahore.
• Hermitage Museum, Leningrad.
• Lidice Museum, Czechoslovakia.
• Ministry of Fine Arts, Bucharest, Rumania.
• Inner Temple, London.
• Chandigarh Museum, India.
• National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.     
• LokSabha, New Delhi.
• Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata.
• Indian Museum Kolkata
• City of Kolkata
• Private Collection in Great Britain, France, Germany, Yogoslavia, Italy, New Zealand, U.S.A. and in many places in India.
• Birla Academy, Kolkata.

List of Commissioned Works :

• Life size marble bust of Sri, Maurice Gwyer, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India, 1944.
• Statuette in Bronze-Sketing Championship Trophy of Canada, 1948.
• Mural (tempera) for Parliament House, New Delhi, 1954.
• Twelve feet high bronze statue of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of India, Pillani, 1955.
• Vitrified terracotta Pas-relief, ten panels, each 6 i t X 4 ft at the facade of the office building of Auditor General of India New Delhi. 1958.
• Full size portrait of Mrs. Sarojini Naidu in oil (7ft X 4ft) for the Parliament House, New Delhi, 1958.
• Over life size bronze bust of U.N. Sen, President of All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, New Delhi, 1965.
• Ten bas-relief panels in vitrified polychrome terracotta (20 ft X 4 ft) for the office building of Central Public Works Dept.Cal,1969.
• Bronze statue of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, at Strand Road, Calcutta, 1973.
• Seven feet statue, Symbol of Justice, Supreme Court of India, 1974.
• Portrait of Subhas Chandra Bose's first declaration of India's Independence, at Parliament House New Delhi.
• Bronze statue of Rani Rashmoni at Millenium Park, Kolkata, 1978.
• Bronze bust of Subhas Chandra Bose, Kanthi, 1984.
• Bronze statue of Sri J.C. Bose, Birth Centenary Laboratory, 1985, Calcutta.
• Twelve feet bronze statue of Sarat Chandra Bose near Bidhan Sabha Bhavan 1986.
• Bronze statue of Dr. Meghnath Saha at National Council for Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, 1992.
• Bronze relief portrait of Mahatma Ganahi, Harvard University, London.