Solias Mendis
Encyclopedia
Walimuni Solias Mendis (June 17, 1897–September 1, 1975) was a renowned Sri Lanka
n artist primarily known for his template paintings, accomplished in a neo-classical style.
A native of Mahawewa, Madampe in Sri Lanka, Mendis was intended by his parents to become an Ayurveda
Physician
, but he was drawn to art. In his early years, he worked and trained alongside his uncle Memonis Silva, himself a master painter. Once accomplished himself, he began painting murals in Buddhist temples. Later, Mendis visited India to examine the works of Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves
, Bagh Caves
and Sarnath
, which inspired him to mingle the techniques of Indian Buddhist art
with the traditions of Sinhalese
classical art, eschewing the then prevalent European traditions. At around the age of 30, he undertook a twenty year project to complete the Kelaniya Vihara
murals.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n artist primarily known for his template paintings, accomplished in a neo-classical style.
A native of Mahawewa, Madampe in Sri Lanka, Mendis was intended by his parents to become an Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
Physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, but he was drawn to art. In his early years, he worked and trained alongside his uncle Memonis Silva, himself a master painter. Once accomplished himself, he began painting murals in Buddhist temples. Later, Mendis visited India to examine the works of Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves
Ellora Caves
Ellora is an archaeological site, from the city of Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty . Well-known for its monumental caves, Ellora is a World Heritage Site. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 "caves" – actually...
, Bagh Caves
Bagh Caves
The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Kukshi tehsil of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India. These monuments are located at a distance of 97 km from Dhar town. These are renowned for mural paintings by...
and Sarnath
Sarnath
Sarnath or Sārnātha is the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Sarnath is located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, India...
, which inspired him to mingle the techniques of Indian Buddhist art
Buddhist art
Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world....
with the traditions of Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
classical art, eschewing the then prevalent European traditions. At around the age of 30, he undertook a twenty year project to complete the Kelaniya Vihara
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara or Kelaniya Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, seven miles from Colombo. The Chief Incumbent is Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera....
murals.