Harold Peiris

{{Short description|Sri Lankan artist, scholar, and translator}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox person |name = Harold Peiris | other_names = |image = |alt = |caption = |birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1905|07|22}} |birth_place = Sri Lanka |death_date = 1981 |death_place = |death_cause = |resting_place = |resting_place_coordinates =  |education = Royal College, Colombo,<br/> St. John's College, Cambridge |years_active = |party = |spouse = |children = |awards = |signature = |website = |footnotes = | occupation = artist, scholar and translator }}

'''Harold Peiris''' (1904–1981) was a Sri Lankan lawyer, author, scholar, teacher, patron of the arts, and philanthropist. He was the co-founder of the Lionel Wendt Art Centre and its sole life-trustee.<ref name=wendt>[http://lionelwendt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=5 Lionel Wendt Arts Centre Website: Harold Pieris] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803061457/http://lionelwendt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=5 |date=3 August 2013 }}, Retrieved 10 June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.artsrilanka.org/43group/harrypieris/index.html 43 Group & Harry Pieris]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Sapumal Foundation Website, Retrieved 10 June 2015</ref><ref name=Harold>{{cite web|url=http://sundaytimes.lk/050717/plus/3.html |title=Harold Peiris |publisher=Sundaytimes.lk |date=22 July 1905 |accessdate=2011-09-10}}</ref> He is sometimes confused with Harry Pieris, a cousin and contemporary, who was a member of the Colombo '43 Group of artists and established the Sapumal Foundation.<ref name=art>[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140330/plus/a-houseful-of-art-90542.html A houseful of art], ''The Sunday Times'', Retrieved 9 June 2015</ref><ref name=Group>[https://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/the-43-group-harry-pieris-and-the-sapumal-foundation/ The 43 Group, Harry Pieris and the Sapumal Foundation] by Rohan de Soysa & Michael Roberts, Retrieved 10 December 2014</ref><ref name=Foundation>[http://www.artsrilanka.org/sapumalfoundation/body.html Sapumal Foundation Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923174237/http://www.artsrilanka.org/sapumalfoundation/body.html |date=23 September 2015 }}, Retrieved 9 June 2015</ref>

Born to a celebrated wealthy aristocratic family, he was the only son of Charles Peiris, the younger brother of the more famous Sir James Peiris, and Maude de Mel, who was a sister of Sir Henry de Mel.<ref name=Elements>[http://www.ceylontoday.lk/35-11996-news-detail-elements-of-an-art-lover.html Elements of an art lover] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612064838/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/35-11996-news-detail-elements-of-an-art-lover.html |date=12 June 2015 }}, Ceylon Today, Retrieved 10 June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.historyofceylontea.com/Users/view/11121703 Planter Profile: Charles Peiris], History of Ceylon Tea Website, Retrieved 9 June 2015</ref><ref name=mansions>[http://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/mansions-of-kolluptitya-colombo-in-the-early-twentieth-centruy/ Mansions of Kolluptiya, Colombo in the early twentieth century] Retrieved 10 December 2014</ref> He was a great-grandson of Sir Charles Henry de Soysa.<ref name="Anepindu">[http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2094 Charles Henry De Soysa; The Anepindu Sitano of Lanka], by Buddhika Kurukularatne The Island (Sri Lanka) Retrieved 1 December 2014</ref> Educated at Royal College, Colombo and St. John's College, Cambridge, Harold graduated with a degree in law and became a barrister at Lincoln's Inn.<ref name=Harold/> Peiris was one of the co-founders of the Lionel Wendt Art Centre that was opened in 1953 in memory of artist Lionel Wendt. The second gallery of the center is named ''Harold Peiris Gallery'' in his honor. Fluent in several languages, including Pali, Sanskrit and Latin, he translated to Sinhalese the Gita Govinda in collaboration with George Keyt in 1940 and in collaboration with L.C. Van Geyzel, translated most of the poems and plays of Kālidāsa in 1961.<ref name=wendt/><ref name=Harold/><ref name=lives>[https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2007/04/22/imp02.asp The lives of Keyt] by Tissa Devendra (Sunday Observer), Retrieved 22 October 2015</ref>

Harold Peiris was married first in 1928 to Leah, daughter of S. W. Dassenaike, a retired Public Works Department engineer and a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon, and second to Alicia "Peggy" Keyt sister of the artist George Keyt in 1940.<ref name=Harold/> Several mansions that were once owned by his family were either gifted or acquired by prominent institutions of Colombo, including Bishop's College, Colombo, St Bridget's Convent, Colombo and the Durdans Hospital.<ref name=mansions/><ref>[http://www.stbridgets.lk/history-of-the-school/ School History: Bishop's College], Official Website, Retrieved 9 June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.stbridgets.lk/ School History: St Bridget's Convent], Official Website, Retrieved 9 June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.ceylontoday.lk/35-1325-news-detail-colombo-03-when-the-roads-were-cart-tracks.html Colombo 03: When the roads were cart tracks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613184135/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/35-1325-news-detail-colombo-03-when-the-roads-were-cart-tracks.html |date=13 June 2015 }}, Ceylon Today, Retrieved 11 June 2015</ref> The Nelung Arts Centre was founded by his niece Niloufer Peiris.<ref>[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/100905/Plus/plus_17.html A place to dance], The Sunday Times, Retrieved 15 February 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/05/02/rangika-and-rangana-%E2%80%94-dancing-their-way-to-success/ Rangika And Rangana — Dancing Their Way To Success]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, The Sunday Leader, Retrieved 15 February 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.thearchitect.lk/2010/01/a-bond-between-society-and-architecture/ A Bond Between Society and Architecture], ''The Architect'', Retrieved 15 February 2017</ref> Peiris is sometimes confused with Harry Pieris, a member of the Colombo '43 Group, who founded the Sapumal Foundation in 1974 to which he bequeathed his house and art collection.<ref name=Group/><ref name=art/><ref name=Foundation/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://lionelwendt.org/index.php LIONEL WNNDT THEATRE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801194548/http://lionelwendt.org/index.php |date=1 August 2013 }} *[http://www.artsrilanka.org/sapumalfoundation/body.html SAPUMAL FOUNDATION] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923174237/http://www.artsrilanka.org/sapumalfoundation/body.html |date=23 September 2015 }} *[https://thuppahi.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/img_0402.jpg THE 43 GROUP] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0EiVWDfihs Down memory lane with Lionel Pieris]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peiris, Harold}} Category:1900s births Category:1988 deaths Category:20th-century Sri Lankan painters Category:Sinhalese writers Category:Sinhalese people Category:20th-century Sri Lankan lawyers Category:Sri Lankan translators Category:People from British Ceylon Category:People from Colombo Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo Category:Members of Lincoln's Inn Category:20th-century translators Category:De Soysa family