Untitled

Maniklal Banerjee earned renown for his exquisite paintings on a difficult surface—watercolour on silk—often using wash technique to create soft renditions of his subjects inspired by daily life, as evident in this Untitled work. A homemaker in a saree commonly worn by women in Bengal—white with red border—takes a break by sitting on the floor. She could even be a house help awaiting instructions. The artist amazes with his attention to minute details such as the red bindi on the lady’s forehead and a pair of red and white bangles—shakha paula—on her arm, attesting to her married status.