Among the Western inter¬preters of Indian art, Alice Bonar was remarkable in that she was not only an art his¬torian but also an artist her¬self with the deep insight and vision which only a practising artist can possess. Born in Switzerland, she studied art in Brussels, Munich and Basle and set up her own studio, first in her native country and later in Paris. Some of her exquisite sculptures adorn public buildings in Switzerland and Germany.
She was longing to visit the India of her dreams, which she did after coming into con¬tact with Uday Shankar in 1926. She was fascinated by his dance forms, for she saw in him the images of Indian tem¬ples coming to life. He model¬led for her and she cast him in clay and bronze. She came to India with him in 1927 and fell in love with this country. Her own work bears an Indian influence, and she was one of the few European artists of note whose painting is influen¬ced by India’s cultural tradi¬tions.