Self-portrait in Green (1912) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
António Xavier Trindade was born in Goa in 1870. The artist studied at the J. J. School of Art in Bombay, a prestigious institution dedicated to the teaching of arts according to the traditions of European Naturalism, where he was later appointed teacher of Drawing and Painting.
Family by Lamplight (1916) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
Trindade married Florentina Noronha in 1901 and a couple of years later moved to Mahim with his family, fleeing the plague that ravaged Bombay. This location proved to highly influence his work.
Sanyasi (c. 1920) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
Trindade’s work matured in the 1920s and 1930s, consisting mainly of portraits and landscapes in oil and watercolour. Occasionally drawing near the aesthetics of the Company artists, his portraits and representations of ethnic types are distinguished above all, by their realism.
Dolce Farniente (1920) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
The depth of Trindade’s perception and skill in composition earned him the epithet of “Rembrandt of the East” and the highest honours an artist could aspire to at that time.
Miss Ferns, a Writer (1925) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
Trindade’s portraits reveal a strong understanding of his sitter’s psychological profile but also a great ability with chiaroscuro. The use of a vibrant palette reflect the artist’s concerns with late 19th century colour theories.
Nasik Scene IV (1931) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
Representing the different communities and beliefs present in the Indian subcontinent, the Nasik Scenes series stands out in the artist's production for its documental significance and multiple artistic approaches.
Fishing Boats at Low Tide (1930) by António Xavier TrindadeFundação Oriente Delegation in India
Overall, the work of António Xavier Trindade skilfully interweaves the cultural universes of the Indian subcontinent and Western Europe. Despite opting for a Western style career, the artist has always remained faithful to the people and landscapes of India.
António Xavier Trindade (1933) by Unknown authorFundação Oriente Delegation in India
On the 16th of March 1935, the artist passed away in his family house in Mahim, Bombay, leaving behind an extraordinary artistic legacy.
References: Shihandi, Marcella, et al, António Xavier Trindade: An Indian Painter from Portuguese Goa (exhibition catalogue), Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, 1996; Tavares, Cristina Azevedo et al, António Xavier Trindade: Um Pintor de Goa (exhibition catalogue), Lisbon, Fundação Oriente, 2005; Gracias, Fátima, Faces of Colonial India: The Work of Goan Artist António Xavier Trindade (1870-1935), Panjim, Goa, Fundação Oriente, 2014.
