Unidentified, A Boy in Green

Artist Anjolie Ela Menon (born 1940)

dated 2024, Oil on masonite board
14.2 x 12 in. (36.1 x 30.5 cm.)

This portrait of an unidentified boy, executed in oil on Masonite board by Anjolie Ela Menon, is a striking example of her signature style—lyrical, restrained, and deeply evocative. The boy’s serene, introspective expression is rendered with minimal detailing, yet the emotional presence is profound. Menon’s choice of color—a muted green for the faces juxtaposed with warm geometric background bands in orange and red—evokes a quiet tension. The checkerboard pattern on the neckline adds a whimsical yet grounded element. The smooth, almost translucent quality of the skin, combined with stylized features and large, soulful eyes, recalls the influence of Byzantine iconography, which Menon studied extensively.

Anjolie Ela Menon is one of India’s most celebrated contemporary artists. She studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and has exhibited internationally for over six decades. Her body of work ranges from figurative paintings and nudes to portraits, still life, and murals. Known for her unique surface textures and use of tempera and oil on Masonite, Menon often imbues her works with a spiritual or melancholic undertone. Her figures, often appearing timeless and ethereal, invite introspection. This portrait is a testament to her ability to merge classical influences with a distinctly modern sensibility in Indian portraiture.