DAVID PAYNTER

David Paynter (b. 1900, Almora, India; d. 1975, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka) was a pioneering figure in Sri Lankan art, renowned for his distinctive approach to interpreting Western and Biblical themes through a local, Sri Lankan lens. Drawing inspiration from Renaissance painting, Paynter adapted these influences to his unique surroundings, embedding his subjects within the Sri Lankan landscape to create a synthesis of cultural and religious contexts.

Early in his career, Paynter focused primarily on religious themes, capturing the essence of Christian iconography with a profound sense of local identity. His most celebrated works are the murals at Trinity College Chapel, Kandy, and the Chapel of the Transfiguration at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. These murals, completed in 1935, became a defining expression of his ability to contextualize European religious themes in a distinctly Ceylonese setting.

Paynter won a five-year scholarship to attend the Royal Academy in London in 1919.During his time in London, he was awarded the Scott Traveling Scholarship, which allowed him to study in Italy for two years. 

In 1951, Paynter was appointed Director of the College of Fine Arts in Colombo (now the University of Visual and Performing Arts), where he continued to shape the next generation of Sri Lankan artists. That same year, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in recognition of his contribution to art and education.

His international presence included participation in four prominent exhibitions, including Rome, New Delhi, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, and the World Fair in New York. His works were also regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1923 to 1940.