Indian Society of Oriental Art as a key tool in the process of popularizing Bengal Renaissance painting

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Bengal Renaissance began in India, aimed at a comprehensive modernization of society and affecting all spheres of life of the country’s popula-tion. Originating in Calcutta, a major cultural center of the country and the capital of British India until 1911, this phenomenon was reflected in various forms of art, including theater, music, and literature. The final stage of the search for a new Indian cultural identity was the formation of the Bengal School of Painting, an artistic movement and style that incorporated the visual traditions and artistic techniques of both India and other countries of the East and West. In addition, during this period, various creative associations and clubs began to operate in the country. One of them was the Indian Society of Oriental Art, organized by artists Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore together with Ernest Binfield Havell, director of the Calcutta School of Art. The article examines the various activities of the Indian Society of Oriental Art as a key mechanism through which Bengal Renaissance painting became known not only in Calcutta but throughout the country and the world.