Ivan Peries was born in Sri Lanka in 1931. Peries' work has largely grown out of his preoccupation with the idealisation of the Ceylonese landscape. The artist was part of the 43 Group, an art group which took inspiration from international art movements based in Paris and London as well as Santiniketan. Members of the group included painters George Keyt and Richard Gabriel. The 43 Group artists were able to create a more secular painting tradition than the one supported by the Ceylon Society of Arts. The artist died in 1969.
In this static and somewhat 'religiously quiet' painting we see the silhouttes of two figures seated on the ground, facing towards each other. The figure on the left in yellowish robe, that on the right brown and blue. The two figures are highly stylized and are set against a pale bluish ground. The scene is framed by a heavily blotted brown border.
