Important Notice

"[My] art has always been a combination of Indian literature, music, dance and architectural traditions." - M F HUSAIN

Husain began to explore music and dance in his paintings in the late 1950s, and revisited this theme many times over the years. This interest in the performing arts perhaps stemmed from attending music and dance recitals during his childhood in Indore, which has been an important centre for art and culture... "[My] art has always been a combination of Indian literature, music, dance and architectural traditions." - M F HUSAIN

Husain began to explore music and dance in his paintings in the late 1950s, and revisited this theme many times over the years. This interest in the performing arts perhaps stemmed from attending music and dance recitals during his childhood in Indore, which has been an important centre for art and culture since the patronage of the Holkar dynasty in the 1930s. Husain explored various aspects of Indian music, delving deep into the nuances of the traditions. "It would be incorrect to treat them as paintings of musicians and dancers: not only are they not representational but Husain's purpose in painting them was clearly to render the spirit of those arts in visual images." (Richard Bartholomew and Shiv S Kapur, Husain, New York: Harry N Abrams, Inc., 1972, p. 42)

The present lot from 1968 portrays a man playing the veena; his head almost parallel to the musical instrument, he is immersed in his practice. Husain introduces patches of blue-green along the line of the instrument, which culminates in the head of a peacock. Husain used colour to render both mood and melody. Referring to other works based on the same theme, Kapur writes, "Music continues to interest him; he no longer hesitates to paint the musician along with and in the colours of his music." (Bartholomew and Kapur, p. 52)

Read More
Artist Profile
Other works of this artist in: this auction  |  entire site