Page 279 - Eye of the beholder

using various mediums such as as oil water and pencil His clear focus was the architecture Furthermore these studies were were refined fin in his studio and human figures were were added Such practice was a a a a a a a common approach for travelling artists This technique helped Weeks to experiment with his his aesthetical approach to satisfy his his imagination and romantic desire Thus Weeks created several versions of the the same place from preparatory stages to to the the final image The oil painting is is is is is impressionistic in in in in character and displays a a a a a a a style that is is is is is distinctly different from many of of the professional European artists who had worked in India as William Hodges Tilly Kettle the Daniells’ et et al It displays a a a a a different sensibility with an an interest centered in in capturing the the mood of of the the local place and particularly of of a a a a a a a a busy street It had been Week’s predilection in in in in in composing pictures where the the interest was centered in in in in in capturing the the transient effects of of light the the the atmospheric ambience and the the the immediacy of of the the the moment which in this instance of the the painting all the the three elements are well marked and brilliantly executed Week’s paintings are set against the stage of architecture which is very clearly seen here There are buildings on on the the the left in in the the the far background and one the the the right Their placement almost forms a a a a a a a stage stage with the street in in in front as as a a a a a a a proscenium This kind of stage stage setting was a a a a a a commonality of of the the arrangement of of pictorial elements in in in Week’s paintings Nevertheless it it has been sensitively perceived and composed that the work is almost audible as as one can feel the the the the sights and and and sounds of of the the the the hustle bustle and and and the the the the buzz of of the the the the street as traders and and and people jostle each other haggling in in in in buying and and selling the the the wares and and the the the crowd which is present is is delineated with people in in in in conversation a a a a a lone policemen riding his horse and keeping a a a a a watch with another horse rider in in the the middle ground women in in traditional sartorial attire carrying their their wares on their their heads to be hawked in in this busy street And the the the crowd of people to to the the the right is represented as as a a a a a mass of of colours in brown to to show the the the shadowed part of of the the the composition composition The building which Week has represented in in this part of the composition composition is is interesting as as it it has a a a a a a a a a prominent shaped bracket on on its façade which makes the elevation beautiful and graceful At the side of this building is is an an open balcony where two women are shown in in conversation as they watch the the the busy street below Adjacent to this building is is another one which has a a a a semi curved bracket or or strut like element to support the prominent balcony above it it These two structures from its style and construction may belong to the rich members of the the the the society In contrast to to these structures the the the the three storied building at the the the the far end appears middle class with many rooms and tenants 273