| Medium | : | Charcoal, Pastel |
|---|---|---|
| Height | : | 27.5 inch / 69.9 cm |
| Width | : | 39.3 inch / 99.8 cm |
| Surface | : | Paper |
| Style | : | Figurative Drawings, Figurative Paintings |
| Dimension | : | W: 99.8 cm × H: 69.9 cm |
| Year | : | 2016 |
Reptile is a 2016 charcoal and pastel drawing by Jogen Chowdhury, featuring several stylised reptilian forms spread across the paper. Bold, expressive outlines define their long bodies, sharp claws, and angular features, while subtle pastel marks bring warmth and texture to the composition. The loose drawing style gives the work a spontaneous, playful quality, while the unusual poses create a quiet sense of movement and mystery.
Jogen Chowdhury | Reptile | Charcoal & Pastel on Paper | 27.5 x 39.3 inches | 2016
Reptile is a striking 2016 work by Jogen Chowdhury, created using charcoal and pastel on paper. The artwork brings together several reptilian forms in a dynamic composition, with the main creature stretching across the centre of the sheet while smaller forms appear around it.
Chowdhury’s expressive black outlines give the animals a strong presence. The reptile’s long body, pointed back, angular limbs, sharp claws, and distinctive head are drawn with a loose, almost spontaneous quality. Instead of aiming for a perfectly realistic representation, the artist exaggerates the shapes and contours, giving the creatures an unusual and slightly surreal personality.
Soft touches of pastel appear beneath and around the charcoal lines, adding warmth and texture to the otherwise monochromatic drawing. These subtle marks feel almost sketch-like, allowing us to see the artist’s hand at work and giving the piece a raw, immediate character.
There is a fascinating contrast between the creature’s seemingly heavy body and the fluidity of the lines used to describe it. The overlapping forms create a feeling of movement, as though the reptiles are crawling across the surface of the paper. The open background keeps the composition uncluttered and places all the attention on the expressive animal forms.
The work reflects Chowdhury’s ability to turn an everyday creature into something visually intriguing. Through simple materials and confident line work, Reptile feels both playful and slightly mysterious, inviting the viewer to look closely at the unusual shapes and gestures within the composition.
Born on 15 February, 1939 in Faridpur (now in Bangladesh), Jogen Chowdhury’s family moved to Calcutta following the partition.
Chowdhury studied art at the Government College of Art and Crafts, Calcutta, and subsequently at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. A student of Prodosh Das Gupta, Chowdhury worked in the expressionist style of figuration in his early years. He created his own gallery of the grotesque, featuring lewd men with bellies like sacks and women with loose, hanging breasts. The Paris sojourn sharpened his creative thought process, helping in the evolution of his distinctive personal style.
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