- 501
Biren De
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description
- Biren De
- Three Vaishnavaites
- Signed and dated 'Biren 56' lower left and further signed, dated and inscribed 'Biren De / (VAISHNAVITE SERIES) / 1955-56' on reverse
- Oil on canvas
- 26⅛ x 35⅛ in. (66.3 x 89.3 cm.)
- Painted in 1955 - 56
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist in October 1976
Sotheby's London, 17 June 1998, lot 177
Sotheby's London, 17 June 1998, lot 177
Literature
Monograph, Biren De, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, 1985
Condition
There is minor craquelere in the work, mostly in the areas of darker pigment. Four very tiny losses are there - one in the arm of the right figure, two in body of the middle figure and one at the edge of the upper left quadrant. This painting is in very good condition, as viewed. Colors appear more saturated in print than in reality.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Biren De’s artistic career began with portraiture and figurative painting, a theme which he continued until the late 1950s before embarking on his signature “Neo-tantric” style, where he used geometric forms and cosmic symbols, juxtaposed with color and light.
This early painting was part of the Vaishnavite Series that De worked on between 1955 and 1956. It depicts three devotees of Lord Vishnu, Baul singers, playing on their one-string instruments and cymbals, a common sight in the villages of Bengal. The Vaishnavite phase, preceded by the Santhal paintings, were the result of the De’s visit to the magnificent cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora, during which he made extensive pencil and crayon drawings on the spot, partly copies and partly his own compositions on religious themes. The dark outlines, vegetation motifs and the use of pure colors are characteristic features of this period. Of all paintings of this and the preceding period, this one is known to be the only one featuring three figures.
In his artistic career spanning five decades, De exhibited across the world in noted exhibitions and venues including Salon De Mai, Paris (1951); São Paulo Art Biennial (1961); Venice Biennial (1962); Ten Contemporary Indian Painters, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (1965); Contemporary Indian Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London (1982); Neo-Tantra: Contemporary Indian Painting Inspired by Tradition, University of California, Los Angeles (1985). His works have been collected by distinguished institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, the Berlin State Museum, the National Gallery, Prague, among others.
This early painting was part of the Vaishnavite Series that De worked on between 1955 and 1956. It depicts three devotees of Lord Vishnu, Baul singers, playing on their one-string instruments and cymbals, a common sight in the villages of Bengal. The Vaishnavite phase, preceded by the Santhal paintings, were the result of the De’s visit to the magnificent cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora, during which he made extensive pencil and crayon drawings on the spot, partly copies and partly his own compositions on religious themes. The dark outlines, vegetation motifs and the use of pure colors are characteristic features of this period. Of all paintings of this and the preceding period, this one is known to be the only one featuring three figures.
In his artistic career spanning five decades, De exhibited across the world in noted exhibitions and venues including Salon De Mai, Paris (1951); São Paulo Art Biennial (1961); Venice Biennial (1962); Ten Contemporary Indian Painters, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (1965); Contemporary Indian Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London (1982); Neo-Tantra: Contemporary Indian Painting Inspired by Tradition, University of California, Los Angeles (1985). His works have been collected by distinguished institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, the Berlin State Museum, the National Gallery, Prague, among others.
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