Important Notice

By the 2000s, Raza's work was purely abstract in form and ostensibly spiritual in essence. Nature, while still central to his art, had transformed to include cosmological conceptsevolving from the physical spaces, or his memories of those places, that he chose to depict in previous decades. He had moved from outer nature to inner nature, from landscapes to inscapes, from utterance to prayer. (Ashok Vajpeyi ed., A Life in Art: S H Raza,... By the 2000s, Raza's work was purely abstract in form and ostensibly spiritual in essence. Nature, while still central to his art, had transformed to include cosmological conceptsevolving from the physical spaces, or his memories of those places, that he chose to depict in previous decades. He had moved from outer nature to inner nature, from landscapes to inscapes, from utterance to prayer. (Ashok Vajpeyi ed., A Life in Art: S H Raza, New Delhi: Art Alive Gallery, 2007, p. 130)

Raza's meditative works in these later years were largely rooted in abstract concepts from Hindu philosophy, but rarely
focused on theological forms or figures, making lots 16 and 33 extremely rare paintings in his oeuvre. They are perhaps
the only two paintings he ever did that depict the Hindu deity Ganesha. His symbolic use of colour was a significant
aspect of his works, as can see be seen in the bright hues of yellow, orange and red that dominate both canvases. Of this
later painting phase, Vajpeyi writes: "Raza paints his new works as a homage of gratitude to the world, to nature and to
powers that be. He celebrates them colourfully, in joy and tranquillity: he seems to be reaching out to an enriching and
deeply contemplative silence. These later day works are also objects organically moving towards consonance, harmony
and peace not only of colours but also of mind." (Vajpeyi, p. 128)

A highly unusual departure from Raza's works of this period, the present lot-painted in a distinct figurative style-
nonetheless demonstrates his fluid mastery over the form, one he returned to after nearly six decades.

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