Important Notice

The early part of Avinash Chandra's art career was dominated by landscapes and cityscapes. The present lot is the most mature work of the "realistic landscape" phase of Avinash Chandra's career. It also represents a biographical milestone in the artist's life because it was painted in June 1955, while he was on his honeymoon in Kashmir. Chandra married his college sweetheart, fellow artist Premlata on 7 May 1955. It shows the bridge over river... The early part of Avinash Chandra's art career was dominated by landscapes and cityscapes. The present lot is the most mature work of the "realistic landscape" phase of Avinash Chandra's career. It also represents a biographical milestone in the artist's life because it was painted in June 1955, while he was on his honeymoon in Kashmir. Chandra married his college sweetheart, fellow artist Premlata on 7 May 1955. It shows the bridge over river Jhelum in the background and houseboats in the foreground. The scene is drawn at dusk with a fiery sky that casts a glow on the shikharas and the river. The lurking shadows around the buildings and the vegetation create a melancholic atmosphere.

Avinash Chandra was born in Simla in 1931. He travelled within India, and to England and Europe in the 1950s. In 1956, Chandra moved to the United Kingdom, where he studied the paintings of Vincent van Gogh and Soutine. Chandra's talent was recognised by many institutions. He was the first Indian artist to exhibit at Documenta-one of the most important art events in the world- in Kassel, West Germany, in 1964. He was awarded the John D Rockefeller III scholarship to study in New York the following year. With his move to the United States, Chandra moved away from landscapes and began focussing on the female body. His works are part of several important private and public collections, including many museums in the UK. Chandra passed away in 1991.

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