Rashid Choudhury

Acquired directly from the artist

Jamsheed K. Marker and Diana J. Marker were introduced to Rashid Choudhury by Zainul Abedin.

Rashid Choudhury was a pioneering figure in the development of modern art in Bangladesh. He trained at what is now known as the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, and later in Madrid and Paris. During his time in Paris (1960-4), Choudhury studied tapestry, fresco and sculpture. He returned to Bangladesh in 1964 and became a teacher of Fine Arts at Chittagong University. Choudhury is best known for his work in tapestry, and in 1977 he was awarded the Ekushey Padak for his contribution to the craft. In 2018, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acquired a tapestry by Choudhury for their collection. 

The current work in oil reveals a similar rhythmic aspect and use of earthy coloration seen in Choudhury’s famed tapestries. The use of oil allowed Choudhury a greater fluidity of line, creating an undulating composition of fantastical, melded forms. Painted in 1964, the year of the painter’s return to Bangladesh, the work demonstrates the importance of Choudhury’s Paris sojourn and possesses a fresco-like quality in its execution.