A luminary of academic realism in Calcutta, artist Jamini Prakash Gangooly (1876–1953) was a master painter known for his profoundly beautiful landscapes. Born in the Tagore family house at Jorasanko, Calcutta, he was a nephew of Rabindranath Tagore, and his earliest artistic instruction came from the young Abanindranath Tagore — exposing him from an early age to the rich cultural milieu of Bengal. He went on to train privately under a Bengali tutor, Gangadhar De, and then under the British painter C.L. (Charles) Palmer, later joining the Government Art School, Calcutta. In 1916, when Abanindranath Tagore left the Calcutta Art School, Gangooly was appointed its Vice-Principal.

Gangooly blended European academic and naturalistic technique with the imagery of his Bengal homeland, working primarily in oil. He was celebrated for his exquisite portrayal of light and shade, with a particular gift for capturing the transient beauty of sunrise, sunset, and twilight hours — landscapes and beach scenes revered for their painterly finesse and emotive depth. Through subtle brushwork and nuanced tonality, he imbued his work with a captivating, often melancholic, atmosphere. He was equally celebrated as a portraitist, working for a number of princely states, and painted extensively in the Himalayas, especially views of Kanchenjunga. His students included Jamini Roy, Atul Basu, Satish Sinha, and Bashanta Ganguly.