Nandalal was a worthy successor to Abanindranath Tagore as artist and teacher. The style of Nandalal Bose is to be seen as an amalgamation of both traditional and modern values in terms of theme and technique. His growth as an artist and the nationalist movement happened over the same period of time. Thus his art reflects the desire to revive the cultural authenticity and spirituality. His journey as an artist shows the huge range of themes he covered in his artwork- from mythical to political . His literary works also reflect the same. His idea of painting and how to perceive it is very thought provoking. All of these gets reflected in his book titled 'Vision and Creativity.'

Nandlal Bose, Bapuji, 1930.

He also played a very important role in shaping the creativity of his contemporaries. He was invited by Tagore to be the first director of Kala Bhavan in Shantiniketan. The surrounding of the land of the red soil was attractive and thought provoking. Renowned painters and sculptors from all over the world visited the institution. The cultural exchange was massive and was beneficial to both. It is here that he picked up his other styles like the Japanese brushwork and altered it with the skilful use of the combination of bush and ink on silk or postcards. This painting appears very lucid in terms of its visual language.

Nandlal Bose, New Clouds, 1937.

Nandalal Bose's work deeply reflects the socio-political condition of Bengal and its surrounding areas during his time. Trained in the British academic style of painting, his artworks were perfect in terms of the realist depiction of objects, yet he tried to include objects and things from everyday life which in turn helped to construct a national identity. He also explored the Ajanta Murals and the paintings by the patua community of Bengal to show the 'other' indigenous traditions of painting in Bengal. These are a part of the heritage in the Indian tradition. The viewers thus get a taste of both the world, in terms of academic realism and his originality as an artist.

Nandlal Bose, Ardhanariawar, 1935.

Nandalal was never overtly political in terms of content in his artwork, but what is rather interesting to notice is that he wanted to revive the traditional techniques and styles and merge it with his modern ideas thus creating something absolutely new and different. Bose prepared a series of posters for a particular political party's session; here he used the Bengal pata style referring to the rural style of painting . He made a large number of posters which were superbly creative in their subject matter and style at the same time. Therefore his commentary on world affairs was subtle but hard hitting.

Nandlal Bose, Lino-cut illustration from Sahaj Path, 1930.

The way Bose included indigenous communities in his artwork is remarkable. The Santhals who lived around the University of Shantiniketan happen to be a recurring theme. Bose explores their way of life, their daily activity and their idea of family and social behaviour. Moreover, since the Santhals were the initial inhibitors of the eastern plains therefore by making them the subject of his painting he tried to comment on the effect of urbanisation on the local population. This was in one way a commentary on the effect of colonialism at a microcosmic level.

Nandlal Bose, Sati, 1943.