Osian's Auction Catalogue Forty Masterpieces | March 2003

92 “I believe that there must be a balanced feeling and thought in the domain of art which, unfortunately, is swayed by the various currents of the day. In fact fascination for anything new, which is so prevalent in these days, has caused immense disorder in the field of creative art. In my opinion, the tradition that our forerunners have created through long and painstaking experiments, will go astray if we fail to overcome the lure of petty popularity to depict anything new and absurd. At the same time, I believe that tradition has got to be revived through proper use and I want to create dynamic realism in my approach.” (Bijon Chowdhury, reprinted in Drawings By Fourteen Contemporary Artists of Bengal. Calcutta 1970; n.p.) Prisoners S/d in Bengali, l.r. Oil on canvas, 1975 117.6 x 128.0 cm [46.3 x 50.4 in] Provenance From Private Gallery Collection, New Delhi Rs. 250,000 – 325,000 $ 5,200 – 6,800 £ 3,100 – 4,100 _ 4,800 – 6,300 93 33 BIJON CHOWDHURY [b. 1931/ Calcutta, West Bengal]