Indian Masters: GD Paul Raj “Blind Singer” 1952

“Blind Singer” 1952,

watercolour 46x37cm

GD Paul Raj 1914-1979

My father MK Roy (1915-2012), met G.D. Paul Raj, known as Paul Raj, in Bombay in 1952, and bought this signed “Blind Singer” from him …

G.D. Paulraj was born in Kodaikanal in 1914, trained at Government School of Arts and Crafts in Madras (now Chennai), one of the historic first batch who studied under the legendary sculptor and painter, Debi Prasad Roy Chowdhury. He became known for his watercolour technique, using minimal colours, strong outlines, and atmospheric washes, with subjects drawn from everyday life. His ouvre features vibrant depictions of rural Indian life, including iconic pieces like Banyan Trees and Bullock Carts on a dusty Road, Collecting Water, and The Grain Market. A definitive aspect of his transparent style was his strict refusal to use white paint. He left areas of the bare paper untouched to depict highlights and white shades. “Blind Singer” depicts a blind musician with his wife, a poignant subject. Artists of that era were documenting various aspects of Indian social life and lives of common people. Paulraj was known for watercolours of village life, market scenes, animals, and figures like “a blind man singing”. That fits Paulraj’s well-known interest in humble, human scenes and rural storytelling rather than grand academic subjects. He was highly proficient in flat and gradated washes, using single brush strokes to layer colour so seamlessly that his canvases appeared as if no brush had ever touched them. He used a minimum number of colours to evoke a remarkably vibrant, multi-coloured depth.While universally celebrated as a watercolour expert, he was also highly skilled in oils, pastels, pencil shading, and poster colours. He frequently utilized a distinct tempera style for specific assignments. He spent hours standing on beaches just to perfect the movement of ocean waves. When Queen Elizabeth II visited Madras, he was commissioned to paint live at the Boat Club; that artwork resides in the British Royal Collection. Another major work is held in the Pope’s Collection at the Vatican.

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