The Artist’s Wife
Lain Singh Bangdel, 1957
Oil on canvas
63 × 70 cm

© Bibhakar Shakya

After his academic education in fine art, in Paris, his first series of paintings ranged from landscapes to still-life portraiture. This painting of his wife testifies to the influence of western academic styles, of Van Gogh, Picasso and Gaugin’s balance of form and colour. While seeking to master the medium of oil, he engaged in experimental work in an endeavour to grasp avant-garde techniques and skills. The specific feature of his portraits is the unique relationship between artist and sitter. For Bangdel, capturing on canvas the mood and likeness of the sitter and his/her personality was a gratifying achievement.
- Swosti Rajbhandari Kayastha