CHAKRAVORTY, RAMENDRANATH
UNTITLED (PORTRAIT VI)
Image Size: 28.3 x 39.2 cm (11 x 15.4 inches)
Frame Size: 34.3 x 44.6 cm (13.5 x 17.5 inches)
Signed by the artistSigned ‘Ramen’ (upper right)
Executed during Ramendranath Chakravorty’s formative London period, this work belongs to a significant phase in the artist’s career marked by academic rigor and early professional recognition. Chakravorty travelled to London in 1937 to undertake advanced studies in painting at the Slade School of Art. In 1938, he held a solo exhibition in London, situating him within the city’s contemporary artistic discourse.
The artwork is executed on a Rathbone canvas board as per the surface label on the reverse of the work, produced by Winsor & Newton under the Rathbone Company name. Rathbone boards were widely available in London during the early 1940s.
A small exhibition label affixed to the canvas reads “Portrait VI”, indicating that the painting forms part of a systematically numbered portrait series. This numbering convention is corroborated by another oil portrait by Chakravorty previously offered at our auction, bearing a reverse label titled “Portrait XIII”.
The portrait depicts a contemplative, introspective figure rendered in a restrained, earthy palette. The face is modelled with dense, expressive brushwork, emphasizing the furrows around the eyes and mouth and conveying a sense of age, experience, and psychological depth. The sitter’s dark, blunt-cut hair frames the face, directing attention toward the inward, reflective gaze. A vivid red scarf provides a deliberate chromatic accent, breaking the tonal sobriety of the composition and anchoring the visual focus. The background, composed of muted greens and browns, remains deliberately understated, reinforcing the figure’s prominence while contributing to the work’s subdued, atmospheric mood.
Untitled (Portrait VI) exemplifies Chakravorty’s London-period portraiture, characterized by emotional restraint, textural complexity, and an unembellished approach to human character. The work reflects both the disciplined influence of Slade training and the artist’s emerging commitment to psychological realism.
Provenance : Collection of a Gentleman
About Artist
Ramendranath Chakravorty (1902 - 1955)
He was a pioneering Indian artist and printmaker, widely regarded as one of the foremost figures in the development of modern printmaking in India. Trained at the Government School of Art in Calcutta and later at Kala Bhavana in Santiniketan under…...Read More
This is an auction of pre-owned and old items. Many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in perfect condition and you should expect general wear and tear commensurate with age and use.
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This early oil on canvas board work is in fair condition, consistent with its age and material. The paint surface remains largely intact; however, the surface exhibits tears or breaking along the upper, left and lower edges and lower margins, resulting from age-related stress. There are sporadic pin-point holes visible in a few areas, typical of older canvas supports. These issues are inactive and stable, with no evidence of ongoing deterioration.
Minor paint losses, abrasions, and edge wear are present, mainly confined to the periphery and not significantly affecting the central figural composition.
This is an auction of pre-owned and old items. Many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in perfect condition and you should expect general wear and tear commensurate with age and use.
We strongly advise you to examine items before you bid.
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