Page 304 - Eye of the beholder

blue with with a a a a few grayish white clouds The water is is equally depicted with with the the reflection of the the surrounding greenery The second untitled painting by Ghilardi has the the representation of the the landscape with a a a a a a a character of calendar pictures A broad muddy path opens in the foreground where two villagers are seen walking one carrying the bundle of sticks on on his head The road is is flanked by a a a high ground on which the the trees are delineated with their roots prominently rendered consequences of the mud slides through monsoons sights common in in India while travelling through the the hilly and mountainous regions The road is flanked on on on one side by the the high cliffs with its rocks striated gesturing to to a a a a a a a a a particular geographical formation A hill next to to it it it has a a a a a a a a a different character of rock formation On the the left the the road is is lined by short trees that disappear in in in in the the the distance In the the the background can be seen tall pine trees that rise like sentinels in in in in the the the sky In the the the foreground on on the the the left is a a a tree bereft of foliage standing on on the the the high mud mound The composition is pervaded with with serenity and the the sun has set as as the the blue sky with with its striated grey clouds has pink tinge in in in in in it Its further reinforcement is the the villager carrying home the the the bundle of of sticks to make fire for the the the night cooking The verticality of of the the the composition is enhanced by by the the the the cliffs the the the the trees soaring into the the the the sky balanced harmoniously by by the the the the flat plane of the the road The light is modulated in in its shadowed play particularly in in the the foreground where the the the villagers are are walking while the the the lighter areas can be be detected behind them Though painted in India it has has strong resonance to an an an Italian countryside Pastel as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a medium that Ghilardi has has engaged with creates a a a a a hazy sentimental mood in the picture Ghilardi returned to to Italy in in in 1905 where he he he continued to to paint Indian themes as a a a a a a result of his stay here and joined the avant group of artists called Gruppo Labronico a a a a a a a a a platform for for important avant-garde artists in in in 1911 thus identifying him with emerging expressions that would influence European art in in the early twentieth century Anirban writes “For an an an an an an artist whose career spanned two countries and made an an an an an an important contribution to to Indian art and the the birth of the the Bengal school Ghilardi does not seem to to have received his his due recognition The reasons behind this are primarily threefold Many other foreign artists whose stay in in India was temporary itinerant and mercenary are quite well known (e g g Edwin L Weeks Gyula Tornai Robert Home etc) because they produced a a a a a large body of of works works Since Ghilardi was not a a a a a salon artist the number of of works works by him is is very limited in in number though his merit as as an artist was always accepted It is is is is surprising that Ghilardi’s works are not even a a a a a a a a part of of of the the the collection of of of the the the Victoria Memorial or or or or the the the National Gallery of of of Modern Art (NGMA) Secondly with the the focus of the the present art market becoming increasingly contemporary there is is perceptible neglect and ignorance of many important early artists A case in in in point is is is is the the fact that there is is is is not even one catalogue d’raisonne for a a a a a a a a a single Indian artist till date This situation sadly is is is borne out of of a a a a a a a lack of of proper scholarship and connoisseurship in in the the the Indian art market market What sustains this ignorance is is is the the the fact that the the the market market is is is fueled to a a a large extent by speculation” 298