Chittaprosad Bhattacharya (1915–1978) was a revolutionary Indian political artist and printmaker whose deeply humanistic and socially conscious work defined mid-20th century protest art in India. Born in Naihati, West Bengal, he rose to prominence in the 1930s through his sharp, satirical pen-and-ink sketches that fiercely criticized colonial rule, feudal oppression, and the caste system.
Rejecting the aestheticism of the Bengal School, Chittaprosad chose mediums accessible to the public—primarily watercolor, linocut, and woodcut prints—shifting the narrative of art from elitist galleries to the streets and grassroots movements. He never used his Brahmin surname in protest of caste hierarchies and aligned closely with leftist causes in his early years.
His work during the 1943 Bengal Famine, especially the suppressed publication Hungry Bengal, remains one of the most impactful pieces of visual protest against systemic injustice in Indian history. Later, he continued to evolve artistically and politically, distancing himself from the Communist Party but staying committed to humanitarian themes, particularly children's welfare and peace efforts.
Chittaprosad’s work is now housed in prestigious collections, including the National Museum in Prague and DAG Museums, and is celebrated as a seminal voice in Indian modern art—raw, radical, and remarkably relevant even today.
