At a recent auction organised by renowned auction house Sotheby's in New York, two paintings by the Bangladeshi art maestro, revered as 'Shilpacharya' Zainul Abedin, fetched a record price, the highest on record for a Bangladeshi artist. Sotheby's, which was founded in London close to 300 years ago but is now headquartered in New York, recently organised an auction titled "Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art", where these two paintings were auctioned at record prices. According to the Sotheby's website, one of the two paintings, "Untitled (Couple)," which depicts a Santal couple (Oil on canvas, 1963), sold for $381,000, or around Tk 4,16,29,622 (Tk 4 crore 16 lakh 29 thousand 622) based on today's USD to BDT exchange rate ($1 = BDT 109.26). A hat worn by Napoleon sold for $2.1 million at an auction of the French emperor's belongings The other painting, also “Untitled” depicts a woman at rest, wearing a sky-blue saree and scarlet bangles, created between 1956 and 1963 using oil paints on board. This painting sold for USD 279,400, equivalent to approximately Tk 3,05,28,389 (3 crore 5 lakh 28 thousand 389). The first painting, which measures 102 cm in width and 135.5 cm in length, was initially estimated to be valued between 100,000 and 150,000 USD, according to the Sotheby's website. The second one, which measures 80.4 cm in length and 60.4 cm in breadth, was initially estimated to be valued between 80,000 and 120,000 USD. Both were from the Marker family collection, which the Sotheby's website referred to as “Property from The Estate of His Excellency Jamsheed K Marker and Diana J Marker.” BBC reports that both of them were close friends of Zainul Abedin. The Shilpacharya often visited the Marker couple's house and at that time introduced several famous South Asian artists to them. However, the website did not reveal the details of the buyers. Art collectors often prefer to remain anonymous. Princess Diana’s iconic black sheep sweater could fetch at least $50,000 at auction Art connoisseurs in the country opined that these two paintings are among the highest selling prices among Shilpacharya’s artworks. In early 2018, Christie's, the famous New York-based auction house, auctioned off another artwork by Zainul Abedin from the Santal series for Tk 1.5 crore in Bangladeshi currency.

The 108th birth anniversary of the master painter and pioneering art educator Zainul Abedin, widely revered as the 'Shilpacharya' (great master of fine arts), is being observed on Thursday . Zainul Abedin, who was born on December 29, 1914, in Kishoreganj, was a key figure in the formation of the Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art (FFA) and the Folk Art Museum in Sonargaon, Narayanganj. The 108th birth anniversary of Shilpacharya is being celebrated with a variety of celebrations, most notably the traditional ‘Zainul Utsab’ and ‘Zainul Mela’ by Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Art. Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni joined the inauguration ceremony of the three-day festivities as the chief guest, while DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman inaugurated the festival. The prestigious ‘Zainul Award 2022’ was also handed over to three art luminaries - former DU FFA Dean Professor Emdadul Haque Mohammad Matlub Ali, eminent artist Shahid Kabir and Indian contemporary art historian, art critic, and curator Raman Shiv Kumar. Read: 106th birth anniversary of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin today Earlier, the Faculty of Fine Art and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) Department of Fine Arts placed floral wreaths on the grave of the Shilpacharya in the morning. Zainul Abedin earned global respect for his 1943 illustrations of the Bengal famine. He visited Palestinian camps in Syria and Jordan in 1970 and made 60–70 paintings of the refugees there, adding just another example of his caliber as a modern, international artist. During his childhood, he discovered his love of art while a young child frolicking by the Brahmaputra River.  His motherland, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), welcomed him back after he graduated from the Government Art School in Kolkata in 1932. However, shortly after the Indian subcontinent was divided in 1947, he permanently departed Kolkata and came back to his own motherland in Bangladesh. The Dhaka Art Institute was subsequently founded with active help from Zainul Abedin, who was appointed as the institute's principal in 1949. The institute was later developed into Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Art. He retired from the Dhaka Art Institute in 1967 and was conferred the honorary title of Shilpacharya (great master of fine arts) by the institute. Prior taking the mantle of Shilpacharya, Zainul Abedin received two years of training from Slade School of Fine Art in London and developed a new style of art called the 'Bengali style' featuring folk art forms with their geometric shapes including the usage of semi-abstract representation and primary colours. Read: Tribute to Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin on his 107th birth anniversary However, he lacked the sense of perspective, realising the limitations of folk art, and went back to nature, rural life and the daily struggles of people to make art that would be realistic but modern in appearance, thus being the pioneer of modern artistic style in the subcontinent. Known for the simple yet majestic projection of natural and social hazards, Zainul painted the 1970 Bhola cyclone that devastated then East Pakistan, portraying the effect of the cyclone through his painting ‘Monpura’. As a fond lover of folk arts, Zainul formed Charu O Karu Shilpi Sangram Parishad and also collected a large number of traditional crafts, ceramic works, nakshi kanthas in his lifetime which he preserved through founding the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon, Narayanganj in 1975.  He also founded the Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala, a gallery of his own works at the Shaheeb Quarter Park on the bank of his nostalgia-infused Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh in the same year. In 1973, Zainul received  honorary D.Litt from Delhi University. He was declared National Professor of Bangladesh in 1975. NASA honoured the iconic artist by naming a crater on the planet Mercury after the painter, called the 'Abedin Crater' in 2009. The revered artist passed away in Dhaka on May 28, 1976 after losing his battle with lung cancer. He was buried beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

BNP Vice-Chairman Advocate Zainul Abedin on Saturday said their party will no longer join any election on the ‘false’ assurance of the government. “You (govt) are making unnecessary efforts to bring BNP to the polls.  You thought you would be able to take BNP to the election again with false assurances, but it won't happen,” he said. Zainul, also a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, was addressing a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club. As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka district unit arranged the rally in protest against what the party said continuous attacks on opposition leaders by ruling party ‘cadres’ in different parts of the country, including Cumilla. Also read: Bangladesh on verge of collapse like Sri Lanka: Fakhrul Zainul said it is heard the policymakers of the government are preparing an election roadmap. “This is not an electoral roadmap.  It’s a roadmap on how the unelected government will escape from Bangladesh.” Mentioning that a plot is on to split BNP, he warned that those who will betray the party driven by their greed of taking benefits from the current government will face dire consequences. “The traitors won’t get any place in Bangladesh. The BNP leader said the conspirators will not be able to split and weaken their party as people are with them. “You (govt) won’t be able to split BNP, no matter how hard you try.” Also read: BNP’s caretaker government dream to go in vain: Hasan Mahmud Referring to the ruling party leaders’ comment that a plot is going on to oust the current government, he said it is a movement of people, not any conspiracy, to ensure the fall of the current regime. “The people of Bangladesh have woken up and they‘re on a movement for your downfall. This movement cannot be stopped by talking about a conspiracy.” The BNP leader also slammed the government for what he said its failure to control the price hike of daily essentials. “The government has increased the prices of all commodities by creating a syndicate to plunder public money,” he alleged.

Wednesday marks the 107th birth anniversary of legendary artist-art educator Zainul Abedin, widely revered as the 'Shilpacharya' (maestro of art).Born on December 29, 1914, in Kishoreganj at the then British India, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin played the fundamental role behind the establishment of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University and the Folk Art Museum in Sonargaon, Narayanganj.The 107th birth anniversary of the legendary artist is being celebrated with the annual 'Zainul Utsab' organised by Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. The offline edition of the festival returned today after being virtually held last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman inaugurated the festival at 11 am. Md Abul Monsur, Secretary at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, joined the inaugural festival as the guest of honour.The Faculty of Fine Arts also placed a floral wreath on the grave of the Shilpacharya and held a discussion followed by the 'Zainul Award' presentation at the inaugural ceremony of this 3-day festival.Historically known for his sketches of the Bengal famine in 1943, Zainul developed his passion for art in his childhood at the banks of Brahmaputra river. He completed his graduation from the Government Art School, Kolkata in 1932, however, left Kolkata and permanently returned to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), his motherland, just after the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947.Zainul then actively worked behind the establishment of the Dhaka Art Institute and became its principal in 1949. The institute later became today’s Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University. Read: Google Doodle celebrating Zainul Abedin’s 105th birthdayThe institute became the hub of fine arts practices in then East Pakistan and actively participated in historical foundation events of independent Bangladesh such as the 1952 Language Movement and the 1971 Liberation War under the artistic leadership of Zainul.He willingly went on retirement from the Dhaka Art Institute in 1967 and was conferred the honorary title of Shilpacharya (great master of fine arts) by the institute.Zainul received two years of training from Slade School of Fine Art in London and began a new style of art called the 'Bengali style' featuring folk art forms with their geometric shapes including the usage of semi-abstract representation and primary colours. However, he lacked the sense of perspective, realising the limitations of folk art, and went back to nature, rural life and the daily struggles of people to make art that would be realistic but modern in appearance, thus being the pioneer of modern artistic style in the subcontinent.He visited Palestinian camps in Syria and Jordan in 1970 and made 60–70 paintings of the refugees there, adding just another example of his calibre as a modern, international artist.Known for the simple yet majestic projection of natural and social hazards, Zainul painted the 1970 Bhola cyclone that devastated then East Pakistan, portraying the effect of the cyclone through his painting ‘Monpura’.As a fond lover of folk arts, Zainul formed Charu O Karu Shilpi Sangram Parishad and also collected a large number of traditional crafts, ceramic works, nakshi kanthas in his lifetime which he preserved through founding the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon, Narayanganj in 1975. He also founded the Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala, a gallery of his own works at the Shaheeb Quarter Park on the bank of his nostalgia-infused Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh in the same year.In 1973, Zainul received an honorary D.Litt from Delhi University. He was declared National Professor of Bangladesh in 1975. NASA honoured the iconic artist by naming a crater on the planet Mercury after the painter, called the 'Abedin Crater' in 2009.Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin passed away on May 28, 1976 after suffering from lung cancer.    

The 106th birth anniversary of art maestro Zainul Abedin is being observed today (Tuesday).

Search engine giant Google is celebrating the 105th birthday of renowned Bangladeshi painter, educator and activist Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin.