Mausoleum had its beginnings in 1982 when I stretched the canvas and prepared the lead white ground. The surface was so perfect that I put it aside for a few years to save for some suitable project.

I began doing drawings of Mausoleum around 1985 and must have put the drawing on the canvas around that time. The worked stayed at that state for over a year – just a carefully constructed line drawing done in thin green-grey paint on the white ground. While the work was at this state, I would pull it out occasionally to study. I made several trips a week to the actual site. I also kept the idea of the work in mind when I was studying the greats in New York, Washington, London or Paris.

I finally decided to block the under painting in around 1987 -- a warm reddish ochre for the tree (to be painted over in greens) – and a cool green grey for the mausoleum (to be painted over in warm ochre tones).

After the works stayed at this state for over a year, I finally began actually painting on the site during the winter of 1988, finishing the work on the site and in the studio during the winter of 1989.