200YEARS-010724 - Flipbook - Page 150
PRAYAT PONGDAM
'%>3$? 1N ÿ?
(1934 - 2014)
0>/!>?ON0?N0/ 2@@>111/ .0. 2524
0>/!>O3N@> 2@@?00>/!N (.@>/N) .0. 2541
?10>/!> 2@@?00>/!N .0. 2559
PONTE FABRICIO
1960/2503
Oil on paper
70.5 X 49.4 cm
Q.0. 2503 #83"9 1Nÿ: 5::#"N!3:/>":%9"0>%:#
3BN!/9" 26 ? RO#9BR0@1:0>%8?P Accademia di Belle
Arti di Roma ?P#BP#! #8N05>:%? :2?ÿQ:!9?PAP5 Ponte
Fabricio NO3@P >###!2?:ÿQ !93%:">Q ?P #83"9RO/:R/O
Q8?PQO?/>O%8#ÿP:N#?"5"CN?PP#!
In 1960, Prayat Pongdam, a 26-year-old lecturer at Silpakorn
University, received a scholarship to study art at the Accademia
di Belle Arti di Roma in Rome, Italy. The oil painting
2:%
28: Fabricio NO28:O:!O!NÿQ: Tiber ?P5"CNQ"N:
N!A5NN:5P#! #83"9N%A5N?" :28:NN:ONO3N?Q
:!/:!2Q?PA5RO/N:NOO/:N:89/?P!?!:9QON
"9NO90@1:0>%8?!P 3:/>":%9"0>%:# O/:N:89/
9%N:/A5 :#N?" ::/:!3%Q3%QN2N3N?P%?Q%9
5P#:2: NN :2?ÿQ:!9?PO2##"::0!A2%9/
5:#9 39 9 QP#:2:?P #8#0#? 5 "B ":
@P#83"9RON?"@Q3%:">Q O%8RO#9:#"5!#9Q:#
#8/5:#O20>%##!O3N:> 9QON .0. 2500
The painting
O2O%8N:?P
!9 28:?P @ 3:5":/%: : ÿ:Q ?NP ?"P /#: AQ >/
52>PN52#O:?P3":#O: O5O:?P!A!>ON2/N:P%
?P5O:9Q3OO/5@NN:N3ONOO?PNN9 ##!/>?
:#/: :?P #83"9 #8:"2? AQ O : QQ3O N O 2? ÿ : 2>
O%O/#8:"2?N: N O/"N#?"N/"ÿ:Q3O :N?">Q?Q!?/:!
39 ON N#:8AQ 3%9 2? ÿ: ÿ : 3O : ?P B !P2? 59Q :
Q3O!ANO! O%8NO"ÿQ:Q3OAQ>/5NAQ52?#:N3O5"N:8OO
#83"9#91:N5%91N:0>%85N: ?PP NNQN#A5P 5
P2?NO!%9O%8 :##"::0":!ÿP:A?PC%@%9NAQ5N>
Q3OO 3: O%O/ÿ:R9:N5"5NO%:B :?/> R"
Q?P2#O:AP5N2?"Q3OONN:RO#9:#""N5Q3ONO
80>%>9QN"?P"!9 O%8 80>%>O3N:>9 QN/%:N5!:
148
Prayat9s depiction of the ancient Roman bridge at night
is compelling. In this painting, the moonlight creates sharp
contrasts of light and shadow. The robust, massive bridge stretches
across the middle of the painting, with turbulent waters below
and the rough textures of the construction surfaces. The dark
sky, bright at the horizon, highlights the outline of old buildings.
Prayat9s technique involved painting the canvas background
in solid black and using a palette knife to apply other colours.
This method added a robust feel to the painting, with the black
background controlling the overall dark tone and emphasising
the vivid texture of the paint. Prayat maintained his distinctive
artistic style, characterised by dark, majestic tones and mysterious
nighttime atmospheres, which he further developed into a
series depicting rural Thai life. This series brought him fame and led
to his recognition as an 8Artist of Distinction9 and later as
a 8National Artist9.
