Untitled

Artist: Arup Das
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 20 × 27 inches (50.8 × 68.58 cm)
Year: 1996

Rendered with a striking interplay of color and form, this painting captures the figure of a young girl, rendered in a style evocative of Cubist and Expressionist traditions. The artist employs a rich palette dominated by deep teal and turquoise hues that lend an otherworldly vibrancy to the girl's skin, imbuing the composition with emotional intensity and visual intrigue.

The girl's dark hair, arranged in two neat braids, frames a face marked by expressive, large eyes and a gentle, knowing smile. These features serve as focal points, inviting viewers into a quiet narrative of innocence and contemplation. Adorned with a beaded necklace and bracelets, the figure is imbued with a sense of cultural identity and personal adornment that enriches the painting’s symbolic texture.

In her outstretched right hand, she holds a small, delicate white bird, an emblematic motif that introduces a theme of freedom, peace, or spiritual connection. This interaction between human and nature is echoed throughout the composition by stylized foliage and additional bird forms. The surrounding leaves and birds are rendered in harmonious shades of green, dark teal, and bluish-gray, blending organically with the backdrop, which resonates with similar cool tones.

The artist’s approach to form is deliberately simplified and abstracted, employing bold shapes and colors that create a rhythmic, almost mosaic-like quality. This abstraction serves to emphasize emotional expression over naturalistic detail, a hallmark of both Cubist and Expressionist aesthetics. The lush, dark forest-green frame complements the painting’s tonal range, grounding the work visually and thematically. Subtlety marks the placement of the artist’s signature or mark in the bottom right corner, underscoring the work’s compositional balance without detracting from its narrative power. The oil medium lends a richness to the surface texture, enhancing the depth and luminosity of the colors, while allowing for nuanced gradations and brushwork.

This painting stands as a compelling fusion of symbolic content and formal innovation. It invites viewers to engage with its layered meanings, where youth, nature, and cultural symbolism intersect within a vibrant, abstracted vision. The artist’s deft manipulation of color and shape renders a timeless meditation on identity, connection, and serene introspection.