G D Arul Raj - Waterfall by Banyan Tree

Quick post today with an image by G D Arul Raj of a small waterfall next to a Banyan tree, I like the greens he has used with a hint of blue sky coming through the tree.

It is signed in the bottom left hand corner and I estimate that it was painted in the 1960's. 

From INDIA Paintings by Arul Raj - How to Paint Book

I just remembered that a year or two back I purchased an older how to paint book written by Arul Raj.  The cover price was only $1.00 (the one below shows $2.00) and it was published by a USA firm called Walter T Foster.  I have reproduced the cover below.

In the introduction by Walter Foster he says. "While Gideon D Arul Raj was in the United States I was fortunate to meet him when he had the time to work on his book and I feel he has done a beautiful job of giving us all an understanding of how he works and the step drawings that are so helpful to beginners as well as the professional artist.  Raj lives in the Southern part of India out of Madras and he has caught the feel of the rural part of the country.  India is a fascinating country and I hope to go through there again with a much longer stay and many side trips into the hinterland to sketch and take many more color shots...."


Copies of the book frequently appear on Ebay in the USA and sell for a modest price, the book shows how to paint like Arul and the palette of colors he used.  Unfortunately the book is not dated so I am unsure when it was published as it seems at this time Arul was still living in Madras, India.  I know he later went to the USA and lived in Laguna Beach in California.

G D Paulraj - Break in the Journey

Came across this photo of a G D Paul Raj painting that sold at auction a little while ago.  It seems to show a scene of a family stopping for a break in their journey, maybe they are having a meal.  The cattle seem really big and strong for pulling the cart.

The painting sold on 21 April 2009 at auction by Vanderkindere Auctioneer in Brussels it measures 49 cm x 35.5 cm.  A close up follows of part of the painting.

Two G D Paul Raj Paintings from Denmark - Oxen Ploughing and Hay Carts

While searching Google the other day I came across two paintings by G D Paul Raj that were sold by the auction house Bruun Rasmussen in Denmark if you follow the link you will find details of the auction selling price and enlargements of the paintings.

Both paintings seem different from other by Paul Raj and I was wondering if they might be earlier works before he had developed his skills to their full potential also they seem very washed out.

 I suppose they could have faded over the years or may be he had not settled on his final palette?

G D Paul Raj - Mudali Street

I purchased this painting a few years ago from a person in Queensland, Australia I feel it really captures the mood of a busy street in what was known as Madras maybe?

I think Paul is really able to capture the shape and form of the cows sat at the side of the road.  It is really amazing to think how his paintings have travelled around the world, if only they could tell the story of who bought them and what they were doing in India?

S Pichai Raj - Water carriers

This is a painting by S Pichai Raj that I purchased at the same time as the P B Surendranath already mentioned on my blog it was in a matching frame.  It is not the best painting I have so I reused the frame for one of my Paul Raj paintings instead.  I estimate that it was painted sometime between 1950 and 1960.

The photograph is not very good and the colours are not true but the subject matter is interesting, also attached is a copy of the artist's signature for reference purposes.

I have heard it mentioned that the artist might have gone on to work in the movie industry in India being involved with painted backgrounds.  Anyone come across any other works by him?  There is a reference to someone with the same name working on a movie with the Nazrana in 1961.  He is listed as the Assistant Art Director.

L M Ghose - Blue Boat

While decorating my hall way today I was taking down the painting and came across another L M Ghose I got a few years ago.  It was not in the best of conditions and when it was framed it had to be reduced in size to only show the no faded section of the colour painting.  Unlike the previous one I posted this is done in colour but just shades of blue.

It is probably meant to be a night time scene with moonlight, the signature is behind the mount and very close to the edge.  I had to take the painting apart yo photograph the signature which is paint but looks like it is dated 1913.  Wow this makes it 96 years old.

You can just about make out the signature and the date, I think I prefer the blue to the black one in the last post.