N. S. BENDRE (1910-1992)

UNTITLED (THREE FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE)
OIL ON CANVAS
SIGNED AND DATED LOWER RIGHT

A LYRICAL PASTORAL SCENE BY NARAYAN SHRIDHAR BENDRE, THE CELEBRATED INDIAN MODERNIST. THREE SEATED FIGURES, A YOUNG MAN IN A CRIMSON TURBAN AND TWO WOMEN IN VIBRANT TRADITIONAL DRESS, GATHER IN CONVERSATION ON A SUN-DAPPLED GRASSY GROUND, WITH A LINE OF SLENDER TREES RECEDING INTO A SOFT GREEN HAZE BEHIND THEM.

THE ENTIRE SURFACE IS BUILT UP IN DENSE, RHYTHMIC STIPPLING, GIVING THE COMPOSITION A SHIMMERING, TACTILE QUALITY. THE FIGURES ARE RENDERED IN SIMPLIFIED, STYLISED FORMS WITH ELONGATED EYES AND SMOOTH, FLAT FLESH TONES, SET AGAINST RICHLY PATTERNED TEXTILES: A SAFFRON AND ORANGE VEIL, A MAGENTA SKIRT, A YELLOW BACKLESS CHOLI WITH TASSELLED TIES, AND AN EMBROIDERED WHITE VEST WITH BLUE GEOMETRIC BORDERS. THE JEWEL-LIKE PALETTE OF YELLOW, INDIGO, VERMILION AND PINK GLOWS AGAINST THE COOL GREENS OF THE LANDSCAPE.

THE WORK REFLECTS BENDRE'S LIFELONG INTEREST IN THE RURAL FOLK OF WESTERN INDIA AND HIS SYNTHESIS OF POST-IMPRESSIONIST COLOUR AND BRUSHWORK WITH A DISTINCTLY INDIAN SENSIBILITY, CELEBRATING EVERYDAY LIFE, COMMUNITY AND THE RICHNESS OF TRADITIONAL DRESS.

THESE WORKS ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER, MUCH LIKE THOSE BY RENOWNED ARTISTS SUCH AS M.F. HUSAIN, S.H. RAZA, F.N. SOUZA, AKBAR PADAMSEE, HEMENDRANATH MAZUMDAR, RAM KUMAR, JAMINI ROY, B. PRABHA, TYEB MEHTA, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY ARE OFTEN SOLD BY AUCTIONEERS TO COLLECTORS AROUND THE GLOBE

30 x 37 INCH