Veteran artist and former principal of Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, Prof Alphonso Arul Doss passes away

Arul Doss who was part of the Madras Art Movement passed away earlier today at his Bengaluru home

An impeccably dressed, patient and smiling teacher who made friends with the young and old alike — this is how Professor Alphonso Arul Doss, the former Principal of Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai who carved a niche in the Madras Art Movement, is remembered by many. In interviews, Arul Doss talked about his early influences and how as a boy in Bengaluru, he was fascinated by stained glass windows in churches. This paved the way to the many biblical themes and Western colour palettes that often appeared in his work. In an interview with The Hindu in 2014, he said, “Looking up at the stained-glass window of a Gothic church, I found myself dazzled by the light transformed into patterns. The contours and colours attracted and motivated me to look at creating forms like a gemstone reflecting many facets.”