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Lot 48

 

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In a 1983 interview, M.F. Husain declared that it was only natural that his artistic vocabulary was predominantly figurative, saying, "How can I go abstract when there are 600 million people around me in India? It is impossible for me to ignore the multitudes around me. How can I do that as an artist?" (as quoted in Pritish Nandy, The Illustrated Weekly of India, 4 December, 1983).

The present lot, a stark figurative canvas from the... In a 1983 interview, M.F. Husain declared that it was only natural that his artistic vocabulary was predominantly figurative, saying, "How can I go abstract when there are 600 million people around me in India? It is impossible for me to ignore the multitudes around me. How can I do that as an artist?" (as quoted in Pritish Nandy, The Illustrated Weekly of India, 4 December, 1983).

The present lot, a stark figurative canvas from the 1970s titled 'The Other Self', seems to be an introspective examination of identity by the artist. On the left of the frame, two vividly hued female figures are caught up in conversation, and a third, seated woman is similarly distracted by something she holds. A fourth prophet-like male figure stands apart on the right, ostensibly exhorting the others to turn their attention to him. Perhaps a self-portrait, this figure and the superimposed outline over him could represent the artist's own quest to reach out to the masses through his work.

Speaking about Husain's unique figurative style, S.H. Raza, fellow member of the Progressive Artists' Group, notes that over the course of his career, "The transformation of Husain's figures was really impressive. The facial features were missing because the focus was on the relationship between his form and figure. The eyes, nose and ears couldn't evoke the feeling a figure could" ("Husain - a lighthouse", The Hindu, 17 July, 2011).

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