Arup Das (1924 - 2004)

Mixed Media on Paper

7 x 11 inches

Signed Lower Centre

Year - 1964

Arup Das, a pioneering figure in post-Independence Indian art, forged a distinctive path as both a muralist and figurative painter. Born in West Bengal, Das emerged in the 1940s against the backdrop of a newly awakened nation, bringing with him a deep sensitivity to the human condition shaped by the socio-political upheavals of his time. A graduate of the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Calcutta, his work consistently placed the human figure at its core, rendered not in isolation, but as part of a larger social and historical continuum. Equally adept in oils, watercolours, and mixed media, Das developed a visual language that blurred realism with symbolism. Through national and international exhibitions, prestigious awards including the Lalit Kala Akademi’s National Award, and inclusion in major institutional collections, Das’s legacy endures as one of the most articulate voices in modern Indian art. This work features earthy tones, layered textures, and two ghostly human forms that Das's preoccupation with man as a social and historical being.