Man near a Stupa was painted in 1962, a year after Lain Singh Bangdel returned to Nepal following a decade in Paris and London. For the first time, he encountered the spiritual and architectural richness of the Kathmandu Valley—its countless stupas, temples, and shrines dotting the urban and rural landscape. But Bangdel also saw what many chose to overlook: the silent pain of those living in hardship, even in sacred spaces. In this evocative composition, a seated figure, wrapped in a heavy cloak, turns away from the viewer. The backdrop features a distant stupa—an iconic symbol of Nepali Buddhist culture—yet the mood is solemn, even mournful. The textured brushwork and muted palette intensify the sense of emotional weight. This is not a romanticized view of Kathmandu; it is a meditation on marginalization, solitude, and the proximity of suffering to sanctity. Man near a Stupa is a powerful example of Bangdel’s humanist vision, combining figurative intimacy with social critique. It captures the emotional contradictions of a place where beauty and hardship coexist.
Details
- Title : Man near a Stupa,
- Year : 1962
- Artist : Lain Singh Bangdel
- Classification : Painting
- Medium : Oil on canvas
- Dimension : Size 37 × 26 in | 94 × 66 cm, Framed Size 38 1/5 × 27 1/5 in | 97 × 69 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 On Hold