"Here the Sky is Blue": Echoes of European Art Movements in Vernacular Poet Jibanananda Das

This study focuses on Vernacular poet Jibanananda Das's unique use of colour in his poetry to create images unique to Bengali Literature. The use of colour also makes his poems distinct as being a poet of Hemanta (Autumn), we find frequent use of grey, a shade traditionally associated with the season. A play of Light and Darkness makes some of his poems more of a painting/picture. Tagore had identified t this quality Chitra-rupamoy (like a picture) in his poem Mrityur Aage/Before Death. The play of sunlight on the grass and the moonlight in the meadows and trees echo certain tenets of Impressionism in art. Jibanananda names a few famous painters, but his literary notes /Dinlipi or motley collection of prose do not belie any fascination with painters.