Zainul Abedin (1914 –1976) A Bengali Painter

Zainul Abedin (1914 –1976) was a Bengali painter. He got the break through in 1944 with his Famine Series paintings of 1943. He was an artist of exceptional talent and international repute. His paintings on the Bengal famine of 1940s are probably his most characteristic work. 

Zainul Abedin was also involved in the Bangladesh liberation movement. He was in the forefront of the cultural movement to re-establish Bengali identity. In 1969, Abedin painted a scroll using Chinese ink, watercolor and wax named Nobanno. This was to celebrate the ongoing non-cooperation movement.

In 1975, he founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon in Narayanganj, and Zainul Abedin ‘Sangrahashala’- a gallery of his own works in Mymensingh. He died on May 28, 1976 in Dhaka. 

‘Two faces’ was his last painting, completed shortly before his death.

In 2009, a crater on the planet Mercury was named Abedin after the painter.