Painted in 1963, Kathmandu Valley offers a striking glimpse into Bangdel’s early impressions of the valley that would become central to his life and art. Having returned to Nepal in 1961 after a decade in Paris and London, Bangdel approached his homeland with both fresh eyes and deep emotional connection. In this semi-abstract landscape, he translates the Kathmandu Valley into a rhythmic cluster of jewel-toned forms—suggestive of houses, temples, and winding lanes—set against the soft expanse of surrounding hills.
A snow-capped Himalayan peak hovers in the background, anchoring the composition with a sense of geographic and spiritual continuity. The balance between abstraction and landscape in this work reflects Bangdel’s evolving visual language—one that fuses Western modernist sensibilities with Nepali subject matter. Kathmandu Valley stands as a tribute to place, painted at a moment when the artist was re-rooting himself in the very soil of his heritage.
Details
- Title : Kathmandu Valley
- Year : 1963
- Artist : Lain Singh Bangdel
- Classification : Painting
- Medium : Oil on canvas
- Dimension : Size 23 3/5 × 28 in | 60 × 71 cm, Framed Size 24 4/5 × 29 1/10 in | 63 × 74 cm
- Collection : Tansbao Gallery
- Credit Line : Tansbao Gallery
- Acquisition Method : Actioned
- Status : Frieze Seoul I 2- 5 Sept 2026 I For sale I Tansbao Gallery I Sold