Lalu Prasad Shaw was born in Bengal in 1937, and completed his education in fine arts at the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Kolkata.

Shaw is known for his portraits of Bengali women and couples, laying most emphasis on their physical characteristics, adding an intimate feel to each of his paintings. His works are executed in gouache or tempera, like his own person, are simple and graceful, having a very still, well-composed and smooth exterior. 

What is most appealing about his works is that they are simple, yet sophisticated. Inspired by nature and the great Bengali middle class, the artist depicts pleasant and quiet scenes from his own life on his canvases and papers. One of the leading Indian graphic artists during the resurgence in printmaking during the late 1960s, Lalu Prasad Shaw frequently works with gouache and tempera paints to produce chromatic renderings of individuals he sees throughout everyday life. He draws inspiration from working-class Bengali families, creating artworks characterized by rich colors and a crisp, smooth finish.