A Painter from Goa

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.

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.

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 19^th century colour theories.

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.