Chunilal Prabhudas Shah
Father of Somalal Shah

Artist Somalal Shah (1905 – 1994)

circa 1930, Watercolour on paper
13 x 10 in. (33 x 25.4 cm.)

This sensitive portrait of Chunilal Shah, rendered in the watercolour wash technique, is a deeply personal work by his son, the renowned Gujarati artist Somalal Shah. The artwork captures Chunilal’s quiet dignity, wisdom, and strength with remarkable restraint and emotional depth. His composed expression, white moustache, neatly buttoned shirt, and distinctive red turban reflect a personality rooted in tradition and simplicity. The technique brings softness to the textures while subtly modelling the contours of his aged face, enhancing the character and realism of the portrait.

Somalal Shah was a distinguished painter and educator, best known for bringing modern sensibilities to traditional Indian themes. Trained under Nandalal Bose at Santiniketan, he was deeply influenced by the Bengal School’s aesthetics. However, he developed his own visual language by merging classical Indian styles with contemporary techniques, especially in portraiture and rural life scenes. He spent much of his career teaching at institutions in Bhavnagar and inspiring a generation of artists. His portraits are marked by empathy, simplicity, and masterful control of the medium—especially watercolour. This portrait of his father is a rare confluence of filial love, artistic skill, and cultural memory, embodying both personal heritage and regional identity.