Background
Angelo da Fonseca was born in Street Estevam, Goa in 1902.
Angelo da Fonseca was born in Street Estevam, Goa in 1902.
He studied under Rabindranath Tagore in Kolkata, Angelo was subsequently condemned and expelled from Goa by the Portuguese Colonial Government for his paintings. He had painted the Virgin Mary in a traditional Goan Sari.
His paintings has been displayed in major cities, worldwide. He started out in medical studies at the Grant Medical College, Bombay, but soon left for J. J. School of Artist In 1930 he left the prestigious Art School, as he felt it had too much of a European/English setting, and joined Shantiniketan in Kolkota where he was trained by his guru Rabindranath Tagore.
Nandalal Bose was his teacher.
Since he was a Christian, many of his paintings incorporate Christ and the Bible. He respected the Virgin Mary and painted her many times.
He returned to Goa in 1931, which was ruled by the Portuguese Colonial Government led the Dictator Antonio Salazaar. Fonseca faced severe criticism for painting Christian themes with Indian settings.
He was criticized by the Priest in his native village of Street Estevam for painting the Virgin Mary in a traditional Goan Sari (Kunbi).
He eventually left (hounded out) Goa. Fonseca moved to, practicing at the Khrist Prem Seva Ashram where he did productive work. He died in 1967 of meningitis.
Ivy Muriel still lives in There has been a renewed interest in Fonseca"s works, with Exhibitions both in India and abroad.