oil on canvas, framed, signed lower right; verso: 'by Ba Nyan', 'PAGODA RANGOON' '19.3.31' 'OIL PANTING' (Dimensions: 22cm x 30cm) (Qty: 1)

(22cm x 30cm)

Qty: (1)

Provenance: Deceased estate of a Glasgow gentleman and collector of Asian Art, acquired in 1995. Tom Bell Fine Art, Troon, Scotland, purchased from John Green Fine Art, 182 Bath Street Glasgow in October 2017.

Footnote: Note: John Green Fine Art Glasgow did not show the work in his gallery at any time and the current owner spotted it in his safe; the painting was then purchased upon Green's retirement in October 2017. U Ba Nyan was one of the most important artists in Myanmar during the twentieth century, most well-known for his western Academic style. Born in Pantanaw in 1897, Ba Nyan showed a proficiency in the arts at an early age and studied under Po Maung for four years before being noticed by local officials who supported him in studying at the Normal School. At the age of 24, Ba Nyan became the first Burmese artist to study at the Royal College of Art in London, with the support of the Burma Art Group, a prestigious institution that supported young Burmese artists with great promise. During his time in London, he developed his signature Academic style, which when he returned to Myanmar in 1925 awarded him great prestige and renown. Working in oil painting, Ba Nyan received many important commissions from notable clients such as Sir Paw Htun, Sir Ba Oo and Shan saophas. Though U Ba Nyan had drawn many paintings depicting the landscapes and lifestyles of Myanmar, most of them were bought by the British and lost during World War II. Few of his paintings can be found today. In 1939, he became principal of the Art School for Myanmar students; then in 1944 he led a group of artists that opened the Institute of Art, becoming the principal of the academy. His role was such that many younger Burmese artists were influenced by him: Thein Han and Ba Kyi were both prolific and important artists who studied under Ba Nyan. During this period, the war-time prime minister of Burma, U Ba Maw, presented two of Ba Nyan's paintings to the Japanese Prime Minister, and a third painting to Emperor Hirohito, illustrating the great international acclaim the artist had achieved. Paintings by Ba Nyan remain rare and highly collectable, with a watercolour of an elephant monument sold for £9,500 and one of the Shwedagon Pagoda sold for £5,500 in 2019 at Grand Auctions in Folkestone, England. His works remain in important international public and private collections such as A Buddhist Monastery in the National Museum of Myanmar, and At the Jetty in the Singapore Art Museum.