Many know that the late Laki Senanayake's paintings were used for the flora and fauna series of Sri Lanka Currency notes issued with the date 1979-03-26.

When I met Laki in November 2019 at his hideout Diyabubula, to discuss the publication of a book on the artwork, he mentioned that he had been commissioned to submit designs for the higher denomination Rs 500 and Rs.1000 notes that the Central Bank of Ceylon (CBC) issued with a date of 1981-01-01. Laki said his designs for these two notes had not been used, and the CBC issued notes with a historical and archaeological theme.

I have serendipitously noticed that the lower part of the portrait back of the Rs.500 which was issued in 1981 was almost the same as the lower part of a Bradbury Wilkinson essay drawn by Derek Friday of Laki's painting, I had won at the Noonan's London Auction on May 29th. So BW & Co had in fact used part of Laki's painting on the 1981 Rs 500 for which it was commissioned. Even Laki had not known.

This part of the Rs 500 design continued to be used till 1990. This was a truly amazing discovery of an unknown Laki painting used on a Sri Lanka banknote.

To read the complete article, see:
An unrecognised Laki painting on a Sri Lanka banknote(https://www.sundaytimes.lk/240804/plus/letters-to-the-editor-4-565725.html)

For more information, see:
1981 - Sri Lanka - Flora and FaunaLaki Senanayaka PaintingBradbury Wilkinson Essay(https://notes.lakdiva.org.lk/cbc/1979lkff/essay/)