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Untitled (Queen)

Medium:Acrylic
Height:36 inch / 91.4 cm
Width:30 inch / 76.2 cm
Surface:Canvas
Style:Figurative Paintings
Dimension:W: 76.2 cm × H: 91.4 cm
Year:2016

Queen by Rabin Mondal is a striking portrayal of a regal female figure, richly adorned and seated with quiet dignity. Vivid colours, expressive contours and textured brushwork bring together royalty, strength and introspection, creating a powerful yet deeply human presence.

Description

Rabin Mondal | Untitled | Acrylic on Canvas | 36 x 30 inches | 2016

Queen, painted by Rabin Mondal in 2016, presents a commanding yet deeply contemplative female figure seated at the centre of the composition. Adorned with an ornate crown, jewellery and richly patterned attire, she carries the visual presence of royalty while maintaining a quiet, inward-looking expression.

Mondal’s expressive style comes through in the bold contours, layered textures and vibrant touches of red, orange, green and gold set against a deep, shadowy background. The queen’s elaborate costume and ornaments add a ceremonial richness, while the floral detail held in her hands introduces a softer, more delicate element to the otherwise powerful figure.

What makes the work particularly engaging is the balance between strength and stillness. The frontal pose gives the queen a sense of authority and dignity, yet her composed expression suggests a private world of thought and emotion. Rather than depicting royalty in a conventional celebratory manner, Mondal gives the figure a more human and introspective presence.

The richly worked surface, dramatic palette and stylised form create an almost theatrical atmosphere, making the queen appear both regal and timeless. It is a characteristic example of Mondal’s ability to transform the human figure into a powerful symbol of dignity, emotion and inner strength.

Rabin Mondal was inspired by primitive and tribal art, its potent simplifications and raw energy.
The son of a mechanical draughtsman, Rabin Mondal took to drawing and painting at the age of twelve when he injured his knee and was confined to bed.
The Bengal famine of 1943 and the Calcutta communal riots of 1946 deeply impacted his psyche; he joined the Communist Party and became an activist. Mondal’s final refuge was art as the ultimate weapon of protest.
Mondal’s figuration derived from a growing abhorrence towards mankind’s moral decay in all spheres of life. The cubo-futuristic angularities of forms within the pictorial space arranged around them evolved into a series of paintings depicting highly distinct human figures that struggled to live a hero’s life in a mocking but tragic world.
Mondal’s images have a deeply felt iconic appearance. The series Queen, King, Man represent figures that are static, totemic, tragicomic, ruthlessly shattered and ruined. Having subverted the classical canons of harmony and beauty, Mondal evolved a vocabulary to express his anguish and rage towards decadence in society. The expressionistic use of splattered colours and the bold application of black are part of that vocabulary.
Beginning his career as an art teacher, with a stint as an art director in films, he was a founder member of Calcutta Painters in 1964, and from 1979-83 a general council member of Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. He passed away in Kolkata on 2 July 2019.

Shipment DetailsThis artwork will be shipped unframed, either in roll form or flat, depending on its requirements—at no additional cost.

If you’d prefer the artwork to arrive ready to hang, please get in touch with us to arrange framing and shipping at applicable charges.

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