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Dimensions: 34 3/4 by 45 3/4 in. (88.3 by 116.2 cm.)

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Provenance: Acquired by the current owner from a Mid-western Estate

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Notes: Bikash Bhattacharjee's paintings straddle the genres of realism, naturalism and surrealism. The artist has described his work as a 'combination of attitudes and techniques.' (Amrita Jhaveri, A Guide to 101 Modern and Contemporary Indian Artists, Mumbai, 2005, p. 20). The artist's home, the city of Calcutta, remained a font of inspiration throughout his career and the city's crumbling facades appear repeatedly in his works as metaphors signifying urban decay. A gifted colorist, Bhattacharjee achieved mastery in capturing the quality of light, a skill that heightened the tonal and textural effects of his works, infusing them with realism and simultaneously capturing a mood of foreboding and alienation. The present work is part of an early series on Calcutta cityscapes. The skilful use of light and shadow creates a three-dimensional effect that seems to bring the scene to life yet the complete lack of human element creates a distance with the viewer and imparts a somber and surreal tone to the painting.