Important Notice

Husain's depictions of women are deeply rooted in Indian sculpture and miniature painting, which he encountered during his travels across the country. The female forms in his paintings take their cues from the energy and dynamism of Mathura sculptures, while aspects of Jain miniature painting techniques also seep into his work, as seen by the compartmentalisation of the two figures in this rare painting from 1965.

In the present lot,... Husain's depictions of women are deeply rooted in Indian sculpture and miniature painting, which he encountered during his travels across the country. The female forms in his paintings take their cues from the energy and dynamism of Mathura sculptures, while aspects of Jain miniature painting techniques also seep into his work, as seen by the compartmentalisation of the two figures in this rare painting from 1965.

In the present lot, he depicts two women facing each other, while seated in tightly folded postures and enclosed within cocoonlike spaces. By painting them in starkly contrasting colours--midnight blue and earthy white--Husain explores dualism, perhaps the concepts of birth and death which he associated with the feminine principle. "The central concern of Husain's art, and its dominant motif, is woman... Spiritually, woman is more enduring. Pain comes naturally to her, as do compassion and a sense of the birth and death of things. In Husain's work, woman has the gift of eagerness... and an inward attentiveness, as if she were listening to the life coursing within her." (Richard Bartholomew and Shiv S Kapur, Husain, New York: Harry N Abrams, Inc., 1971, p. 46)

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