arrested by economic competition from cheap prints and coloured oleographs from Germany By the end of the nineteenth century it was quite clear that the Bengali artist could not claim a linear descent from a great art' tradition either in form or in emotional content Rather his search for identity lay enmeshed in this severed tradition I The Colonial Impact In the field of arts' the impact of colonialism was felt specifically through the organization of art education By 1867 the British government had set up twenty-two schools of industrial art including the three major art schools in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta Around 1878 another school was opened at Lahore9 The British governmental policy towards Indian art was characterized by contradictory attitudes apparent in their reports and executive measures The first was a denial of the existence of Indian art altogether ^The racist feeling of white superiority prevailing over the general policy of education assumed the Company School Drawing Murshidabad Washerman c 178090 Coll India Office Library Calcutta