English

Lyn Constable
Maxwell

The PBC Art Gallery, Paharpur Business Centre, showcases a very special collection of paintings by Lady Catherine Young, wife of Sir Rob Young, UK High Commissioner in India, titled appropriately 'From India With Love’.

Her collection consists of a total of 37 paintings; some that portray the serenity of London while others capture the earthiness of India.

Her works depict human life on rooftops and ghats, urban scenes and monuments. And, according to some connoisseurs, they cast a magical spell on the viewers.

Most of the paintings are watercolours and ink besides mixed media on paper. There are a few prints as well.

“All the paintings are well done with a well-matched combination of colours that leave a soothing and lasting impression on the viewers”, said a visitor. Her creativity brings life into landscapes. These are inspired by her travel to destinations such as Udaipur, Varanasi and Kerala.

Mrs Sharmila Tagore inaugurated the show. Sir Rob Young was the guest of honour at the inauguration.

Mr Kamal Meattle, CEO of PBC Art Gallery, in his welcome address thanked Mrs Sharmila Tagore for her presence and support for a good cause. “We are privileged to have Lady Catherine Young’s very precious collection on display at PBC Art Gallery. Each of these works could be a good investment for all the art lovers and I am sure that there would be something of interest for everyone.”

Lady Catherine, who was born in Tours, France, has had no formal art training. She was educated in France and trained in law at Poitiers, one of France’s oldest universities. A lawyer by education, she opted to teach English.

Painting was her hobby that she cultivated from the age of seven as sketching and colouring came naturally to her. After getting married in 1967 she led the socially busy life of a diplomat’s wife. Postings included Egypt, France and Syria with long stays in London.

It was only in the mid 1990s that she formalized her hobby by enrolling for a course in the history of arts at the famous Ecole du Louvres in Paris. The course opened up a new vista into the world of art for her. She had the makings of a good artist. Today art is no more a hobby for her but a very serious pursuit.

According to Lady Catherine, art provides a distinct identity to a person. An artist knows no boundaries and is free to explore unknown areas. She mounted her first exhibition, titled Paintings of India, in Delhi and donated part of the proceeds to charity.

Her preferred medium is paper using water colours, ink, pastel and acrylic.