Sanjiban's Correspondence with The Mother

18 June 1935

My Mother,

I thought of doing human figures for some time. I tried a coloured sketch of myself, but it is very difficult to bring out the resemblance. I wish to ask Thee how it can be improved. Should I not make the colour of the body darker to resemble me? If so, with what colour should I give a wash?

I find your picture very good and resemblant. Of course the colours are not exactly those of nature, but one is always free to interpret as one likes. I do not see that it would be good to give a wash to the picture. Better leave it as it is.

Ma, it strikes me to ask Thee how artists bring out the tint of the model. Do they manage to bring it exactly as the model is or do they paint it from their mind with the idea of contrasting the light with complementary shadows?

I cannot answer in such a general way. Each artist has his own technique and does things as he understands them. Some choose to give a vivid reproduction of nature, some like better to translate or to symbolise.

18 June 1935