J. D. A. Perera's forte was portrait painting
Aravinda HETTIARACHCHI
J. D. A. Perera had dimensional characteristics, but his speciality
is portrait painting. His importance in the field of art was evident in
both pre-independence (1948) and post phase of activity.
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J.D.A. Perera doing a portrait of Premier S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike |
Born in Gampaha in 1897 as a son of a Mudalali, he studied at both
Ananda and Wesley Colleges in Colombo.
In 1931 he was responsible in making the middle hall of the Lankan 'Kalabhavana'
in painting several works on the lines of traditional 'Jathaka Katha
Potha'. This was collected by Sir D. B. Jayathilaka (1932) for a
painting exhibition in England. He obtained a scholarship in 1946 and
went to England. Eventually he became the Head of the Ceylon National
Fine Arts Institution.
In 1949 facilities for painting and sculpture studies were limited at
the Ceylon Technical College. And yet J. D. A. Perera broadened the
space a little further and provided more facilities. As a follow up
measure this particular section was shifted to the Heywood Institution
at Horton Place, Colombo. There ended his illustrative career at the
Institute.
J. D. A. Perera also staged 'Sri Sangabo', 'Vessanthara' and the like
with refined presentation. [email protected] |
