Untitled (The Gossip), 1988

"Untitled (The Gossip), 1988" is a popular painting by the Indian master Narayan Shridhar Bendre. Unaffected simplicity is the prevalent tone in this painting of the village women with their children, where the use of bright colors and deliberate lack of detailing creates a spatial tension and emphasizes rural serenity.Bendre was interested in the depiction of joy and the charms of rural India. With great sensitivity, he painted women in comfortable rural settings engaged in social activities and domestic tasks. This painting testifies not only to the painterly expertise of this leader of Modernism, but to the authenticity of his expression.

Narayan Shridhar Bendre is counted amongst those masters whose pioneering talents and committed contributions to the art of modern India were instrumental in bringing the art of India to it’s glorious blossoming.   He is well known as the supreme landscapist, a composer, and master of colours. He was immensely influenced by miniature painting. Assimilating the western influence he created a niche for himself in the field of art by innovating a style all his own. He successfully carried out innovative experiments depicting subtle themes ranging from everyday life to the abstract.