N.S. Bendre was born in 1910 in Indore, Indore State | Present-day Madhya Pradesh, India.

N.S. Bendre’s initial works were mainly consisting of the quasimodernist landscape painting, the technique which he learnt from the Indore School. Being an avid traveler, throughout his journey of life and work he continued painting landscapes, often with different approach. This Landscape is a painting from the same series and style for which he was awarded the Bombay Art Society Gold Medal in 1941.
“I was a student of an art school for a number of years, and the training in those times was on the lines of the British Academy. That influence is still lingering. The British Academy’s influence has shaped our art, mine too, for some time. We are trying to get rid of it. With this background we have now to meet western innovations in the visual arts. Many individual art forms or expressions have come to be accepted and recognized both in the East and the West. Their impact on the artist community all over the world including us is so strong that it is difficult to overlook them. Those who are deeply concerned with art movements have to accept their aesthetic achievements of some of these innovations. It is true, however, that in many cases the innovations are so individualistic that it is difficult to understand or enjoy them… It has become necessary now to research into our own heritage and try to imbibe qualities for which this heritage was noted. There is nothing wrong in learning from innovations originating in the west or anywhere, provided they’re helpful in maintaining the basic qualities of our heritage. The respect for the flat area on which to paint, the use of conceptual images understandable to the people at large, based on observations and memory, have been characteristic of Indian art.”

Bombay Art Society Gold Medal awarded to N.S. Bendre in 1941; this was the most respected and prestigious award for the modern Indian artists until the establishment of the Lalit Kala National Awards in 1955.

In 1996, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Fisherwomen (1943), offered in the Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings: One Hundred Years by Sotheby's, which concluded on 08 October 1996 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹3,22,712 ($9,063.67). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 1995, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Landscape (1945), offered in the Indian Contemporary Paintings: Islamic Works of Art and Indian, Himalaya and South-East Asian Art by Christie's, which concluded on 16 October 1995 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹1,18,154 ($3,446). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

With the inclusion of the hues and even the inclusion of the black colour which are Expressionist traits, Bendre rather successfully attempted a sort of telescoping of the late nineteenth century French Impressionist style with the German Expressionist style of the second decade of the twentieth century… Langhammer brought into India Kokoschka’s style of panoramic landscapes. Similar hues of colour were employed by Bendre to replace the mellow colour scheme of the existing Indore school as if to usher in the celebration of the Indian sunshine.

For me, the creative process starts with the blank canvas, by the dabbing of paint on it, the aim being to catch the original impact of the total image conceived. Things are nebulous in the beginning, become clearer by manipulating, by the application of more paint, dabbing, scratching, washing off, repainting till I’m nearer to the original impact. There is a natural limit for the canvas to take the load of paint and for my mental endurance: so I resign, I finish a painting and I sign it… Sketches help my paintings, so whenever I travel, I keep some paper in my bag for sketching. I make very small sketches, and these sketches are my gold mines….

I think it was during the late 1950s that we can say that he (Bendre) truly ‘arrived’. He had been painting for nearly two decades; during the 1940s he was concentrating on landscape painting to begin with in a broader Impressionisticquality. But by about 1955, he showed interesting grasp of the simplicity of Jamini Roy, the synthesis of Cubistic elements and Indian sculptural sensuality of the Sinhalese George Keyt, Bendre developed a significant figuration which was cubistic as well as elegantly linear like the Kangra painting.

Man is the centre of my universe along with his emotions, his love, his social intercourse, his surroundings.

In 2020, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1971), offered in the Alive: Evening Sale of Modern and Contemporary Art by Saffronart, which concluded on 17 September 2020 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹1,56,00,000 ($213,699). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2005, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1974), offered in the Summer Online Auction: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art by Saffronart, which concluded on 12 May 2005 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹32,06,500 ($74,053). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2021, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of A Bundi House (1979), offered in the The Fine Art Sale by Pundole, which concluded on 18 November 2021 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹3,50,00,000 ($471,983.08). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2021, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Jaisalmer Fort (1979), offered in the The Fine Art Sale by Pundole, which concluded on 18 November 2021 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹5,00,00,000 ($674,261.55). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2021, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1980), offered in the Modern Indian Art by Asta Guru, which concluded on 28 December 2021 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹6,66,63,372 ($890,592.9). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 1997, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Quilt from Kutch (1983), offered in the Indian Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 04 June 1997 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹13,46,305 ($37,633). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

To me, creative art demands transforming raw material from surroundings observed deliberately or by chance into an integrated whole.

In 2017, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Woman Selling Fruits (1986), offered in the Modern & Contemporary Indian Art by Asta Guru, which concluded on 23 August 2017 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹91,83,900 ($143,213.8). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

Today the master has come to terms with himself. He has done away with the use of complementary colours, which he feels are seen only when the artist is prompted by scientific knowledge… Today, even more than before, he concentrates on the depiction of joy, the charm that the world has to offer to anyone who cares to see it. He uses familiar forms with hardly any stylisation or modelling and avoids cast shadows. His paintings are invariably two-dimensional, without any perspective; he conveys the effect of distance with gradual elimination of details.
He gives prime importance to his visual experience, but he does not resort to naturalistic representation. He interprets it on his canvas in his own terms and offers what he has seen and enjoyed.
He shuns obsession - any scientific or psychological dogma. He has no message. It is not his business to preach. He only wishes to share with you the joys that the world has in store.

In 2014, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1989), offered in the Live Auction: Modern Indian Art by Saffronart, which concluded on 04 September 2014 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹90,00,000 ($148,873.52). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2021, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (Krishna on Kaliya) (1991), offered in the Spring Live Auction: Modern Indian Art by Saffronart, which concluded on 11 March 2021 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹1,98,00,000 ($275,000). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

Whatever I have experienced in the world, I paint. Other things are not important to me.

In 2001, an artwork by N.S. Bendre was featured on the cover of Bowrings: Auction of Paintings and Works of Art (November 2001, Mumbai), marking a documented highlight in the artist's public and auction market visibility.

In 2021, an artwork by N.S. Bendre was featured on the cover of Pundole: The Fine Art Sale (November 2021, Mumbai), marking a documented highlight in the artist's public and auction market visibility.

In 2022, an artwork by N.S. Bendre was featured on the cover of Saffronart: Evening Sale (September 2022, New Delhi), marking a documented highlight in the artist's public and auction market visibility.