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Lot 6

 

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George Keyt, one of the foremost modernists from Sri Lanka, was known for his distinct artistic idiom and knowledge of Indian and Buddhist mythology, South Asian art practices, and Western art movements including Cubism. In his work, he strove for a unique vocabulary that highlighted his own preoccupations. "The lyric painting of George Keyt is sensuous Indian poetry brought to canvas... Keyt takes as his primary theme woman as the focus of... George Keyt, one of the foremost modernists from Sri Lanka, was known for his distinct artistic idiom and knowledge of Indian and Buddhist mythology, South Asian art practices, and Western art movements including Cubism. In his work, he strove for a unique vocabulary that highlighted his own preoccupations. "The lyric painting of George Keyt is sensuous Indian poetry brought to canvas... Keyt takes as his primary theme woman as the focus of man's concern. He paints her in flat planes, with bounding lines and rich warmth of color. His idiom occasionally carries in it a hint of Picasso but is, once again, in direct line with the traditional styles of Central India, Mewar, and Bahsoli. But the originality of Keyt's work is undoubted, and his work remains uniquely his own." (Richard Bartholomew and Shiv S Kapur, Husain, New York: Harry N Abrams, Inc., 1972, p. 27) In the present lot, Keyt uses vivid colours as a narrative device to highlight the emotions between the two protagonists and to add a sense of drama to the scene.

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