Unidentified Gentleman

Artist Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury (1899 – 1975)

circa 1972, Ink and wash on paper
10.6 x 9.2 in. (26.9 x 23.4 cm.)

This unidentified portrait, by Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury, is a compelling example of expressive realism. Executed with bold, confident brushstrokes, the portrait captures intense human emotion and psychological depth. The furrowed brow, tightly drawn lips, and carefully modelled cheekbones convey a raw, almost sculptural intensity. Though modest in scale, the work demonstrates an extraordinary command of anatomy and gesture. The play of light and shadow, across the face, suggests an artist deeply engaged with form, structure, and character.

This portrait was previously in the collection of the Rabindranath Tagore Family. The careful delineation of the nose, eyes, and cheeks reflect Chowdhury’s sculptor’s eye for volume and mass. Even in a seemingly quick sketch, one sees the discipline of rigorous academic training combined with a powerful emotional undercurrent—a hallmark of his artistic legacy. Devi Prasad was trained under the eminent Abanindranath Tagore, the father of the Bengal School of Art. He later studied life drawing and portraiture under Mr. Boese, an Italian academic painter. This dual exposure—to Indian revivalism and European academic naturalism—deeply shaped his artistic vision. While he is celebrated for his monumental public sculptures, such as those commemorating India’s independence movement, his drawings and portraits reveal sensitive understanding of human emotion.