Important Notice

Raiba was born in 1922 in Bombay, and enrolled at the Sir J J School of Arts in 1942, studying miniature painting techniques. On the advice of Langhammer, Raiba went to Kashmir between 1957 and 1959, and the valley "informed a substantial part of Raiba's art practice. He drew frequent allusions to humans, animals and folk motifs that he witnessed in the temples of Jammu and Himachal Pradesh. This was the period when he shifted his focus on the... Raiba was born in 1922 in Bombay, and enrolled at the Sir J J School of Arts in 1942, studying miniature painting techniques. On the advice of Langhammer, Raiba went to Kashmir between 1957 and 1959, and the valley "informed a substantial part of Raiba's art practice. He drew frequent allusions to humans, animals and folk motifs that he witnessed in the temples of Jammu and Himachal Pradesh. This was the period when he shifted his focus on the imagery of landscapes, nudes and still-life." (Critical Collective, 9 May 2016, online) He developed an interest in the history of the Konkani community which was once ruled by the Abyssinian Dynasty of Murud and Janjira. Kings were a favourite subject in his art, as seen in the present lot.

Dummy King, with its bright colours and a bold, distinct style, was painted after the artist returned to Mumbai in the early 1960s. Its sharp, angular shapes and thick black lines recall the "Post-Impressionist Cloissonism style, parallel to the works of Paul Gauguin." (Critical Collective) The pained expression of the king, and his contorted posture and gestures, make for a powerful figurative painting. He holds a silver vase in one hand and makes what might be a mudra with his other hand. The present lot gains significance when viewed in tandem with prevailing artistic preoccupations, which were veering away from figuration.

In 2012, Clark House Initiative organised an exhibition to rekindle an interest in Raiba's work, with an attempt to replicate the international model where artists receive a royalty on the resale of their artwork. The following year, a retrospective of Raiba's work was held at the Sir J J School of Arts. Raiba passed away in Mumbai on 15 April 2016 at the age of 93.

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