Monochrome Kashmir Canvas, 40s-50s

6 Replies to “Monochrome Kashmir Canvas, 40s-50s”

1. Got this via a email comment:

   "Thanks for posting the monochrome Kashmir canvas painting pictures below. I believe it is possible that the first painting in which the painter is unnamed was completed by Edna Bellefontaine and I believe all of the paintings were actually completed in 1949 instead of 1950. There is very little information about Miss Bellefontaine available on the internet but I recently purchased two scrapbooks in an auction and due to the contents appear to be her personal scrapbooks. She was one of the original founding members of the Kashmir Progressive Artists' Association and the scrapbooks contain original signed letters, original catalogues announcing art exhibitions and original pictures of some of the pictures below.

   One of the catalogues is blue and titled "Exhibition of Paintings & Drawings by The Progressive Artists' Association, Kashmir" and was opened by Prof. Humayun Kabir on Saturday, the 1st of October 1949. The exhibit was held at the Exhibition Hall, Parliament Street, New Delhi and was organized by the All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society. The catalogue contains 10 pages and has a very detailed listing of the paintings and their price for each artist. I believe the painting titled "Winter Landscape" by S.N. is actually titled "Aerial Snows" and the price was 80 Rs. The "Two Flowers" painting by S.N. Butt was priced at 110 Rs and "The Boiler" by P.N. Kachru was priced at 100 Rs. The scrapbook contains an original newspaper clipping showing "The Boiler", "Aerial Snows" and "Srinigar Clubs Under Snow" the last of which was painted by Edna Bellefontaine.

   There is an original signed brochure titled "The Progressive Artists' Association organizes The First Annual Art Conference of Kashmir and Its First Annual Art Exhibition" in the Hadow Memorial College Premises, Shiekh Bagh, Srinigar on the 7th of September, 1949. Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah Honorable Prime Minister has kindly consented to inaugurate the exhibition. Trilok Kaul is listed as the Honorary Secretary. This brochure also goes on to provide an itemized list of each artists' painting and price.

   Prior to painting, Edna Bellefontaine became quite a famous dancer in India and the scrapbooks contain original pictures of her with the Maharaja of Kapurthala and others. There are original pictures of Edna Bellefontaine with Dr. Clifford Manshardt who was the Information Counsellor for the Embassy of the United States of America. He opened an art exhibit exclusively for her paintings in 1959. There is an original signed letter on The Foreign Service of the United States of America by the United States Embassy letterhead in which the Embassy located and sent Miss Bellefontaine 200 sheets of rice paper.

   There is way too much to mention as the scrapbooks contain hundreds of original documents, pictures, brochures, flyers, etc. I had never heard the name Edna Bellefontaine prior to purchasing the scrapbooks in the auction but since receiving them I have read everything contained in them. I am not sure how much of this information has survived throughout the years and I may be wrong but it seems like this should be in a museum somewhere."

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   1. Hi have you received any information on your scrapbooks? I had purchased an oil painting signed by Edna and I can't find any info on her? Any advice? Thanks. Jolenenk

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   2. Hi Vinayak – a great find and so glad that these items are now safe. Do you know anything more about the Progressive Artists Association? Andrew Whitehead

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   3. Hi Andrew,
      drop me a mail…I will try to get you in touch with Trilok Kaul. He might be able to offer some details.

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2. Any idea where we can see any of SN Butts original works? Apparently there's one he painted of my mother with a bag of mumphalli.

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   1. Can you offer some more detail? Do you have the painting?

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