The Monk | Watercolour Painting by Amitabha Banerjee

Amitabha Banerjee (1929–2013) was born in Barisal, Bangladesh. He studied at the Government College of Art and Craft in Calcutta. He was a founding member of the Society of Contemporary Artists in Calcutta.
His initial artistic style was realistic watercolours, however, later began to move towards more embellished themes. His bright colours were replaced by muted ones. Nonetheless, Banerjee continued to experiment with different media and forms of art until the 1970s, contributing to his uniqueness as an artist. His use of realistic imagery of form is often combined with elements of expressionism. This is further compounded by concealed designs and a lacklustre play of light and dark. Banerjee began his expressionist phase with a series of paintings of birds. The figure of the sensuous woman was also a major theme in his work. Banerjee was also an excellent printmaker.He received the AIFACS Award (1976); the Birla Academy of Art and Culture Award (1978); and the Lalit Kala National Award. He has held numerous shows both in India and internationally. His works are on display in the Lalit Kala Akademi and the National Gallery of Modern Art, both located in New Delhi, as well as the Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Calcutta.