(4 August, 1939 – 10 August, 2015)
Sunil Das was born in Kolkata ,1939. He was an Indian expressionist and most important post-modernist painters. He joined the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata in 1955, later he won a French Government Scholarship to studied at the École des Beaux-Arts (French School of Fine Arts) in Paris. Das was achieved Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2014.
Das was known for his iconic drawings and paintings of horses and bulls; created thousands of drawings on these subjects only. He spent hours at the Calcutta mounted police stables, observing horses and sketching them, while in Europe, visited Spain and, after watching several bullfights, made many drawings and paintings of bulls. His perfect drawings show the fast movement, strength, and energy of horses and cows. They symbolize the energy, aggression, and strength of modern time period, reflecting his wild youthful spirit and a feeling of freedom.
His use of line is something that’s hard to put into words. In his work, he brings a smooth, dynamic quality to lines. His creativity, important discoveries, and strong use of line make him stand out. The bull and horse, which are his favourite subjects, play a key role in his art.
Das's paintings depict not only the physical appearance of his subjects but also their symbolic qualities. Sometimes, he portrays human figures with a distorted anatomy that borders on unsettling surrealism. In addition to horse and bulls, he also painted women in a haunted, naked and erotic manner. He worked in various mediums such as, watercolours, acrylics, charcoal pencils, oils, inks and pens. Das rarely used bright or warm colours in his paintings. Instead, he preferred soft browns, mauves, and whites for the background, creating a sense of life's drama. He combined talent with diligent effort, working with suggestion and minimalism. His paintings, though strange in form, are strangely fascinating.
Sunil Das passed away in Kolkata on 10 August, 2015.
