Anukul Munsi

Anukul Munsi or Anukul Charan Munshi (Bengali: অনুকূল চরণ মুন্সী) (1875-1964) was a noted artist and sculptor from India. He is most remembered for his massive contributions in the field of Indian Mother-of-pearl art. Reportedly, he invented the artistic approach to carve nacre or mother-of-pearl shells to give a shape of a portrait or sculpture, thereby, is sometimes considered the 'Father of Indian Mother-of-pearl art'. Some of his notable mother-of-pearl portraits are Maharaja of Jodhpur, Maharaja of Darbhanga etc., alongside his iconic mother-of-pearl sculpture of Radha-Krishna. He came into fame in 1924 when he won the gold medal in his category in the British Empire Exhibition held in London. During his lifetime, he was invited by the then Government of Italy to permanently reside in Rome with his family as a part of his honour for his worldwide contributions in the mother-of-pearl artifacts. Besides, he was also an avid musician and animal lover.

Anukul Munsi
Born	1875 Born Anukul Charan Munshi Jessore, British India (present day Bangladesh)
Died	1964 Paikpara, Kolkata
Nationality	Indian
Known for	Sculpture
Notable work	Radha-Krishna Maharaja of Jodhpur Maharaja of Darbhanga
Movement	Mother-of-Pearl art

Mother-of-Pearl carving by Munshi based on Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru

Initial days

Munshi was born in the year 1875 in the Chaugachha zamindar family, to the zamindar of Munshi Estate Banwari Charan Munshi. Being an artist and art enthusiast by nature, he was not inclined towards the unfathomable wealth of his father. After the death of his father Banwari Charan, as the eldest son he was supposed to take the charge of next zamindar. But, his unwillingness and inefficiency to take the responsibility made his father handover the charge of the estate to his younger brother Amulya Charan Munshi.

Indian Mother-of-pearl art

Munshi introduced the mother-of-pearl art in India with a completely new perspective. He was the first accomplished artist to carve human portraits on nacre shells. During his early days in the Chaugachha zamindar family, he established a factory called 'Mother of Pearl Factory' where he along with his newly recruited apprentices and employees started the practice of the mother-of-pearl-based art, within the premises of their zamindari mansion. In this historic factory, Munshi taught the very art to his sons Annada Munshi and Manu Munshi and his nephew Pratip Munshi.

Notable works

Some of Munshi's notable artworks are:

• Radha-Krishna

Radha-Krishna (Mother-of-Pearl art) by Munshi

• Maharaja of Jodhpur

Maharaja of Jodhpur (Mother-of-Pearl art) by Munshi

• Maharaja of Darbhanga

Patronage

In 1924, while participating in the British Empire Exhibition, renowned Indian dancer Amala Shankar's father Akhoy Kumar Nandy took all the responsibilities to arrange Munshi's entire journey to London.

Later, after partition of India in 1947, Munshi's 'Mother-of-Pearl Factory' was shifted from Chaugacha to Paikpara, Calcutta and faced utmost financial crisis. As a result, he was finding hard to pay his employees during that course of period. During that time, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, noted Indian politician, barrister and academician, helped him financially to overcome such extraordinary crisis.

International honours

Munshi won the gold medal in 1924 for his uniquely implemented mother-of-pearl art in the British Empire Exhibition. Later, the Italian government of the time invited him to live in Rome along with his family.

Legacy

After 48 years of Munshi's demise in 1964, in 2012 renowned writer and researcher Santanu Ghosh authored the book Binodane Paikpara Belgachia (in Bengali: বিনোদনে পাইকপাড়া বেলগাছিয়া) where his life was sketched alongside a number of notable people like Kazi Nazrul Islam, Chunibala Devi, Nirendranath Chakraborty and so on. The book Munshianay Chollis Purush (in Bengali: মুন্সিয়ানায় চল্লিশ পুরুষ) authored by the same author has mentioned his life and achievements multiple times. A research-based documentary film titled Shilpe Munshider Munshiana (Excellence of Munshis in Arts) has shown a detailed sketch of Munshi's life which was directed by Partho Mukherjee based on the research by Munshi's grandson Amitava Munshi.

Death

Munshi breathed his last in 1964 at his own residence in Paikpara, Kolkata.