Artists & Painters — Set 4

Correct Answer: A. Jackson Pollock

• **Jackson Pollock** = pioneered 'drip painting' and was a leader of the Abstract Expressionist movement. • His **'action painting'** style — emphasized the physical movement of the artist during the creative process. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Mark Rothko]: known for color field painting; [Willem de Kooning]: known for abstract expressionist figural works; [Barnett Newman]: known for his 'zips' in color field painting.

Correct Answer: A. A. Ramachandran

• **A. Ramachandran** = is an Indian painter known for his large-scale mytho-epic works, including the 'Yayati' series. • **2005** — he was honored with the Padma Bhushan for his significant contributions to Indian art. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Anjolie Ela Menon]: known for her distinctive style often featuring elongated faces; [Jogen Chowdhury]: known for his cross-hatching technique and dark figures; [Satish Gujral]: a versatile artist and architect, brother of a former Indian PM.

Correct Answer: D. Diego Velázquez

• **Diego Velázquez** = painted 'Las Meninas', a complex portrait of the Spanish royal court. • **1656** — the year 'Las Meninas' was created, showcasing his mastery during the Spanish Golden Age. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Francisco Goya]: a leading Spanish Romantic painter and printmaker; [El Greco]: known for dramatic and elongated figures, active before Velázquez; [Bartolomé Murillo]: a Spanish Baroque painter known for religious works.

Correct Answer: D. Ram Kumar

• **Ram Kumar** = is an Indian modernist artist known for his abstract landscapes and powerful depictions of the 'Varanasi Ghats'. • The **1960s** — his visit to Varanasi in this decade led to a significant shift in his artistic style towards spiritual abstraction. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [S.H. Raza]: known for his geometric abstraction, particularly the 'Bindu'; [Paresh Maity]: known for his vibrant watercolors and oils, often depicting travel; [Manu Parekh]: known for his abstract expressionist works, often depicting Varanasi in a different style.

Correct Answer: A. Jan van Eyck

• **Jan van Eyck** = created the 'Arnolfini Portrait', a highly detailed oil painting on wood. • The **mirror reflection** — famous for its intricate detail and complex symbolism within the painting. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Albrecht Dürer]: a German Renaissance artist, known for printmaking; [Pieter Bruegel]: a Flemish Renaissance painter known for his landscapes; [Hans Holbein]: a German artist known for his portraits of Henry VIII.

Correct Answer: A. Ganga Devi

• **Ganga Devi** = is an Indian artist famous for her work with 'Madhubani' folk art and brought it national recognition. • **Mithila art** — another name for Madhubani art, transformed by artists like Ganga Devi from a domestic ritual to a globally recognized genre. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Mahasundari Devi]: another prominent Madhubani artist who received national awards; [Sita Devi]: another noted Madhubani artist known for her distinctive style; [Other than listed]: Incorrect, as Ganga Devi is the specified artist.

Correct Answer: A. Henri Matisse

• **Henri Matisse** = is known as the 'Father of Fauvism', a style characterized by wild, non-naturalistic colors. • The term '**Fauvism**' — means 'wild beasts', coined by a critic in response to the artists' vibrant palette. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Maurice de Vlaminck]: a French Fauvist painter, but not the 'father'; [Andre Derain]: a French artist, co-founder of Fauvism with Matisse, but not the 'father'; [Georges Braque]: a French painter and sculptor who, with Picasso, developed Cubism.

Correct Answer: B. Edward Hopper

• **Edward Hopper** = is the artist of 'Nighthawks', a painting depicting loneliness and isolation in an American diner. • **Light and shadow** — are famously used in 'Nighthawks' to create its melancholic and cinematic quality. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Norman Rockwell]: known for his depictions of everyday American life; [Andrew Wyeth]: an American realist painter, known for works like 'Christina's World'; [Grant Wood]: an American painter known for his regionalist works, most notably 'American Gothic'.

Correct Answer: A. Satish Gujral

• **Satish Gujral** = was an Indian artist and architect who was the brother of a former Indian Prime Minister. • **I.K. Gujral**, the 12th Prime Minister of India — was Satish Gujral's elder brother. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [B.C. Sanyal]: a prominent Indian modernist painter and sculptor, not related to a PM; [Ram Kumar]: known for his abstract landscapes and Varanasi series, not related to a PM; [Akbar Padamsee]: a contemporary Indian artist known for his abstract and figurative paintings, not related to a PM.

Correct Answer: D. El Greco

• **El Greco** = is the Spanish-Greek painter known for his dramatic and elongated figures, such as in 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz'. • **Toledo, Spain** — where El Greco spent most of his professional life and developed his unique style combining Byzantine and Western Mannerism. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Diego Velázquez]: a Spanish Baroque painter, active later than El Greco; [Salvador Dalí]: a Spanish Surrealist artist, known for his bizarre imagery; [Francisco Goya]: a Spanish Romantic painter, active much later than El Greco.