A very talented Anglo-Indian
artist and dancer in Khargpur
From Chapter 2: Khargpur and
Beyond
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Lewin & Irene
during a delightful visit at their London
home. (1966)
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Among Khargpur
friends one stood out- Lewin Brown.
He
was much older, but that didn't matter. He was a talented
artist and performer and a relaxed, good humored person.
We spent hours at Lewin's place, catching up on gossip
and enjoying his art, including
beautiful books which featured the undraped female form,
as the delicate expression put it. Lewin did very good
portraits in oil. One particularly good one was a head
and torso study of Lee Howard, Gene's older brother.
“Lewin mastered many of
Fred Astaire's dance routines, which he incorporated into his
own presentations.”
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A
letter postmarked 5 Apr 40 with Lewin Brown´s signature
profile (a very good likeness) to match George VI´s
profile on the stamps.
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Lewin
was a devotee of American movies, many which he saw from
the film projection booth at the Institute. His job was
to letter and draw in India ink the glass-slide announcements
which were projected on the screen during the intermission
in the program. He expertly dashed them off at a small
table in the booth.
Lewin mastered many of Fred Astaire's dance routines,
which he incorporated into his own presentations. He was also a fine dancer in
the Kathakali school of Indian classical dance-a remarkable celebration of his
heritage at a time when Anglo-Indians found its public acknowledgment difficult.
Looking back, it is clear that he was one of those rare individuals who expand
beyond conventional limits.
Get the whole story! Read Stan Brush's Memoir of
His Boyhood in India, "Farewell
the Winterline"
What a pleasure it was for John and me to have dinner
with Lewin and his wife Irene in their London home in 1966. We revisited the
Khargpur days over prawn curry and paratas (a fried, flat bread made with white
flour and ghee-clarified butter). During the same London stopover we socialized
with the Laurences and Bunyans. They were all part of the Anglo-Indian exodus
to the UK after partition in 1947.
How
Did Stan's American Parents Deal with Schooling Kids Overseas: Private Christian boarding school or home to
America? Chapter 3
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