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Lot 49

 

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“Beauty is Nature’s creation; colours are a wonder; Light, which contains colours, is a miracle...” - F N SOUZA

F N Souza’s landscapes from the 1960s were dominated by a rather apocalyptic vision. They reflected both the post-war gloom of Britain and the mounting tension between nations in the aftermath of the war. As noted by Yashodhara Dalmia, these landscapes “seem to be driven by a cataclysmic force, which wreaks havoc.”... “Beauty is Nature’s creation; colours are a wonder; Light, which contains colours, is a miracle...” - F N SOUZA

F N Souza’s landscapes from the 1960s were dominated by a rather apocalyptic vision. They reflected both the post-war gloom of Britain and the mounting tension between nations in the aftermath of the war. As noted by Yashodhara Dalmia, these landscapes “seem to be driven by a cataclysmic force, which wreaks havoc.” (Yashodhara Dalmia, The Making of Modern Indian Art: Progressives, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2001, p. 93) These were “often distorted to the point of destruction – houses no more than lopsided cubes... But they never threaten to dissolve into formalized abstract shapes. The violence and speed with which they are executed keep these images, however distorted, in touch with the painter’s vision of what they really are.” (Edwin Mullins, Souza, London: Anthony Blond Ltd., 1962, pp. 36-38)

In the present lot, however, the fury, instability and distortion that is typical of many of Souza’s landscapes is replaced with a terrifying calm; a strong force that heaves an eerie stillness down upon the composition. Souza’s typically vibrant palette is muted here with shades of dark blue dominating the frame. Four dull yellow houses with brown sloping roofs stand aloof in the distance, windowless and obstructed from direct view by three meager trees devoid of leaves or life. While the trees serve to offset the geometry of the scene, they are barren and spindly and add to the unnatural atmosphere and sense of isolation. As is the case with most of Souza’s landscapes from the time, this landscape is dominated by gloom, and projects “a virtual prediction of the end of the world. It was evident that a deep gloom underlay the brazen, audacious exterior of Souza.” (Yashodhara Dalmia, Souza in London, New Delhi: British Council, 2004, p. 13)

Each component of the painting is framed by Souza’s iconic black line. “Of the pictorial elements it is decidedly the line which is the most developed part of Souza’s vocabulary. Whether it is ornamental or abrupt, lyrical or diabolic, Souza’s line is derived from Picasso; from Picasso’s unmatched virtuosity in delineating an object or figure with sheer element of line... His paintings are really drawn in paint, the line predominating over all other elements and serving to outline, encase and define an image; serving also to provide tonal variations... and to give the painting a structural and surface unity.” (Geeta Kapur, “Devil in the Flesh,” Contemporary Indian Artists, New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 1978, pp. 56-57)

Painted in 1962, the present lot belongs to a highly lucrative period that is generally considered the apex of his career. “For almost ten years, from 1956 to 1966, he dominated the British art scene, showing his work and selling regularly. He was written about extensively and received praise from critics such as John Berger, Edwin Mullins and David Sylvester, to name a few.” (Rasheed Araeen ed., The Other Story: Afro-Asian Artists in Post-War Britain, London: South Bank Centre, 1989, p. 23)

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