Bride's Toilet

Bride's Toilet
ArtistAmrita Sher-Gil
Year1937
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions88.8 cm × 146 cm (35.0 in × 57 in)
LocationNational Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi

Bride's Toilet is an oil on canvas painting, painted by Hungarian-Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil (1913–1941) in 1937.[1][2]

A work of modernism,[3] the painting draws influence from the frescoes of Ajanta and the miniatures of Mughal art, thereby resulting in a masterful amalgam of Indian and European styles.[4] Part of Sher-Gil's well known South Indian trilogy, comprising also Brahmacharis and South Indian Villagers Going to Market,[5] Bride's Toilet explores the simplicity and uniqueness of rural life, a recurring subject in her later paintings.[6] When Sher-Gil returned to India in 1934, her approach towards art changed significantly. A number of later artworks revolved around the poor and the underprivileged, the commonfolk and their struggles.[7][8]

Bride's Toilet depicts a bride's chamber,[9] wherein a young light-skinned woman, presumably the titular bride, is seated. She is half-naked; her palms are covered in mehndi. She is surrounded by two other women and two children. One of the women is dressing her hair,[10] and the other is holding a container. Their faces are expressionless. The painting employs a rich, colourful palette. Tones have been skilfully used.[11][12] The painting demonstrates Sher-Gil's curious interest in women, their lives and adversities.[13]

The painting was one of 33 of Sher-Gil's works displayed at her solo exhibition at Faletti's Hotel in Lahore, British India, held from 21 to 27 November 1937.[14]

  1. ^ "Bride's Toilet - Amrita Sher-Gil". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  2. ^ "Art and Analysis | Global Modern Women Artists". Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  3. ^ "Bride's Toilet [Amrita Sher-Gil] | Sartle - Rogue Art History". www.sartle.com. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  4. ^ "Bride's Toilet by Amrita Sher-Gil - Famous Indian Art - Handmade Oil Painting on Canvas — Canvas Paintings". ArtworkOnly.Com. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  5. ^ "Amrita Shergill, Drawn from Life , indiaprofile.com". www.indiaprofile.com. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  6. ^ Bhandari, Parul. "On Amrita Sher-Gil's birth anniversary, a closer look at the women in her paintings". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  7. ^ "A Life in Art". The Indian Express. 2014-06-14. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  8. ^ Power, Petra (2013-11-05). "Amrita Sher-Gil: The Female Pioneer Of Modern Indian Art". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  9. ^ "A Life in Art". The Indian Express. 2014-06-14. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  10. ^ "Bride's Toilet Archives". State of the Art. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  11. ^ "Bride's Toilet - Amrita Sher-Gil". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  12. ^ "Bride's Toilet". INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  13. ^ "An Indian rhapsody". The Hindu. 2013-02-07. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  14. ^ Sundaram, Vivan (2010). Amrita Sher-Gil: A Self-Portrait in Letters and Writings. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Tulika Books. p. 422. ISBN 978-81-89487-59-1.