Curd Seller

Benode Behari Mukherjee

In this lithograph, Benode Behari Mukherjee distils the figure of a curd seller to its most essential form, using swift, fluid lines to capture movement and presence. The composition, animated by rhythmic strokes, evokes an almost musical impression, where motion, not detail, becomes the focal point. Reminiscent of a stick figure, minimal yet expressive, the work transforms the mundane into a lyrical and visual experience.

Created after he lost his sight, Mukherjee was guided by his memories and years of experience and observation. He had developed a deeply intuitive approach to art, relying increasingly on inner vision. The image draws from his childhood in rural Bengal and his education at Santiniketan, where he absorbed the moorings and meanderings of a rustic life. His travels to Japan further shaped his practice, the far eastern influence evident in the simple, calligraphic strokes of the figure.