B.PRABHA (1933-2001) "UNTITLED" FISHERWOMAN, SIGNED TOP LEFT, OIL ON CANVAS

Size: 36.5 x 23 inches

Private Collection Boston, USA

Footnotes: Emerging from the vibrant streets of Nagpur, B. Prabha embraced the canvas at a
time when the realm of art beckoned but few Indian women. Her journey commenced at the
Nagpur School of Art, culminating in a diploma from the esteemed Sir J. J. School of Art,
Bombay, in 1955. An icon of her era, Prabha's legacy is etched in the majestic strokes of her
oil masterpieces, each a testament to the resilience of rural women amidst life's
trials.Guided by the luminaries of European art—Van Gogh, Gauguin, Modigliani, and
Picasso—and the soul-stirring depths of Amrita Sher-Gil's oeuvre, Prabha's palette danced
with reverence for classical Indian paintings. From the verdant valleys of Kashmir to the
bustling streets of urban toil, her brush whispered tales of the unnoticed, the
downtrodden.Acclaimed even in her student days, her canvases found solace in the embrace
of Homi J. Bhabha's collection, a harbinger of her impending greatness. Amidst her artistic


journey, she found companionship in the form of painter-sculptor B. Vithal, their bond
immortalized in shared creativity. As the sun set on her earthly voyage in September 2001,
Prabha's legacy remained a beacon of inspiration, a testament to the enduring power of art
to transcend time and space.