Born in 1936 in Delhi, Dhawan studied at the Delhi School of Art and later went to Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris in 1953-1958 and to Belgrade Institute of Art in the year 1960-62. He taught painting in India until 1962 and later received a grant to travel to Yugoslavia in 1964-1966. He was the founder of “The Unknown” group which exhibited in 1964. Rajendra Dhawan did not set out to be an abstractionist; his works have been appraised as impressionistic. They move toward the spirituality and timelessness of colour-field painting that hints towards a suspension of all the corporeal. To quote the late artist, “I bring into painting my life experience…” — an experience that subtly evolved during his lifetime. His works have been compared to mid-night dreams of lingering calmness.