Malay Bala

Professor, Department of Oriental Art
University of Dhaka

Abstract

Artist Qayyum Chowdhury (1932–2014) is a legendary figure in cover art. He designed the covers of numerous books about the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, often using his hand-drawn portraits. These portraits, which align with the diverse subject matter of various writers and researchers, showcase Chowdhury's unique style of calligraphy, design, and color arrangement, adding a distinctive artistic dimension to the book covers. Out of the more than two thousand books on Bangabandhu published so far, the covers created by Chowdhury stand out for their originality and aesthetic appeal. By centering Bangabandhu in his artwork, Chowdhury universalized the nationhood, self-identity, and awakening power of Bengalis, ensuring that his portraits of Bangabandhu reach the public through these book covers.

Keywords

Bangabandhu, book cover, illustration, artist Qayyum Chowdhury

References