Title: The Village – Simple Lives
Artist: Basil Cooray
Size: 43.18 cm × 58.42 cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Basil Cooray is a multi-award-winning Sri Lankan artist whose work has been exhibited and appreciated internationally. His landscapes and figurative paintings are inspired by the beauty and authenticity of rural Sri Lanka. Through delicate brushwork and thoughtful compositions, Cooray captures the quiet rhythm and genuine spirit of village life.
He works mainly with watercolors and oil paints, using them to portray the colors and atmosphere of the countryside in expressive and engaging ways. Basil Cooray received his professional training at the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts under Prof. Chandragupta Thenuwara. Today, his works are included in important collections such as Hatton National Bank, the President’s House, and several prestigious private collections in Sri Lanka and abroad.
The Village – Simple Lives beautifully captures the peaceful rhythm of rural life in Sri Lanka. The painting invites viewers into a quiet village morning where nature and human life exist in harmony. The sky appears in soft pale tones, suggesting the gentle light of early morning as the day slowly begins to unfold.
The landscape is filled with fresh green trees that dominate the composition, creating a sense of vitality and calmness. Their rich colors reflect the natural beauty of the countryside, while distant hills fade softly into the horizon. This layered background gives the painting depth and enhances the peaceful atmosphere of the scene.
Under the shade of the trees stands a small thatched-roof house, simple yet meaningful. It represents the home of a villager who lives a humble and content life close to the land. Nearby, a lone figure dressed in simple clothing stands quietly, emphasizing the calm and unhurried rhythm of village living.
In the foreground, several cattle move slowly across the open green field. Their long shadows stretch across the grass, adding movement and life to the scene. These animals symbolize the agricultural lifestyle that supports many rural families and highlight the close relationship between people, animals, and nature.
Through gentle colors and balanced composition, Basil Cooray creates more than a landscape painting. The Village – Simple Lives becomes a reflection of a way of life where simplicity, hard work, and harmony with nature bring true contentment.