Monumental world contained in Bireswar Sen's miniature landscapes

A retrospective focuses the magnifying glass on the monumental world contained in Bireswar Sen's miniature landscapes

In an essay about his teacher, Abanindranath Tagore, Bireswar Sen (1897-1974) writes: “In order to judge the greatness of a man, we must bear several things in mind: whether he is great by himself, or great through other circumstantial or contributory causes; and whether his greatness is purely parochial and transitory, or universal and far–reaching in its effects.”

It’s a useful way to look at Sen’s works as well, especially to understand if they’ve stood the test of time. Despite being regarded as a master during his lifetime, his works, while in the permanent collections of various museums in India and