Portrait of a Painter
Manuj Babu Mishra, 1997
Oil on canvas
89 × 120 cm

© Prithivi Bahadur Pande

An avid self-portrait artist, Manuj Babu Mishra portrays himself in most, if not all his paintings. The objects and ambience depict very much the objects and environment of his actual daily life. Although entitled Portrait of a Painter, the painter being Mishra himself, this painting shows the back of the artist seated at an easel with a large brush and immersed in work. The Boudhanath Stupa scene, in which the artist seems to be peering through a window, reflects the scene Mishra saw from his own window when working on this painting. The pallet, the linseed oil jar, the pot holding the brushes, the table and stool, are among his personal belongings and even the coat is his own. In depicting his personal objects, the artist seeks to claim his identity, in contrast to other paintings where he is clearly the subject. A modernist by nature, Mishra’s canvases capture the turmoil of his mind. The large number of selfportraits is attributable to his desire to remain in confinement following his dissatisfaction with the political changes of the 1990s. During this period of confinement, he found no better motif for his paintings than himself, who could best understand his inner turmoil and expressive self. In the absence of any other motifs during these years, he felt compelled to portray himself. He positioned several mirrors around his studio and, with the help of such aids, would often sketch himself in various poses and expressions.

These sketches were carefully designed as first stages of what would later evolve into complex compositions: executed in bright colours and with a playful use of light and shade, these works emphasized his carefully chosen subjects. Most of his compositions show a clear demarcation of subject and background by a careful juxtaposition of broad brushstrokes of contrasting hues.
- Swosti Rajbhandari Kayastha