Biren De
Untitled
Signed and Dated. Signed by artist in EnglishMount size: 9.8 x 8 cm (25 x 20.4 Inches)
Image size: 7.4 x 5.2 cm (18.8 x 13.3 Inches)
Biren De, Puri May 1951
Known as one of India's greatest abstractionists Biren De's watercolour is a treat for lovers of river/beach studies. This 1959s work speak of his love for riverine scenes. Precision of form and fervour create a mood that is rare and unique and formed from observation that is meticulous. He usually began with a quick pencil sketch and filled it in with washes of color giving us a sense of immediacy and freshness. This study belong to Puri which belongs to a series of watercolors painted along the shore of this coastal town, depicting boats tethered to the sandy beach. De has employed a limited but soothing palette of predominately darkened tones. The fluidity and spontaneity of delicate washes in the sky, shore and water is juxtaposed with the more controlled application of colour in the boat and landscape.
Water allowed De to introduce an element of motion into an oeuvre that is largely defined and dominated by stillness. Both works show the juxtaposition of the moving water with the other pictorial elements of the boats at rest, further heightening their weight and solidity languidly set against the slightly rippled surface. The beauty and frisson of this lies in this inherent contradiction- between weightlessness and heft, motion and stillness. This artistic balancing act between the carefully modulated depiction of the boats and landscape and the aqueous fluidity of the water and shore creates an inherent push pull. This tension is echoed by the tethered boats with boatmen waiting for its passengers on the shore. At once wanting to be of the sea yet firmly harnessed creates a sense of restlessness to the otherwise very serene, idyllic image.
The year 1959 tells us De was in Puri which had provided rich and fruitful subject matter since the mid-19th century. Generations of Bengal artists captured the landscape, finding fascination with the riverine coastal terrain or heroic way of life of the local population, or both. While De's imagery tended to focus on the inhabitants, he shared the ability to capture the essence of a place. We also see De was captivated by the perceived loneliness and isolation of the rugged, salt of the earth boats on the beach that provide a visual embodiment of the figures and the boats at rest.
Provenance : Collection of a Gentleman.
Good Condition
| Nickname | Amount(Rs) | Type | Date & Time(IST) | |
| 1 | anon0138 | 90000.00 | Regular | 06-02-2024 04:02:20 PM IST |