Important Notice

Since the late 1940s, when he visited an exhibition of traditional Indian art and craft at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, M.F. Husain has painted works related to classical Indian sculpture, music, and dance. Particularly inspired by India's sculptural traditions, where music and musicians were popular subjects, Husain frequently attempted to capture the multifaceted nature of artistic expression on his canvas.

In these paintings,... Since the late 1940s, when he visited an exhibition of traditional Indian art and craft at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, M.F. Husain has painted works related to classical Indian sculpture, music, and dance. Particularly inspired by India's sculptural traditions, where music and musicians were popular subjects, Husain frequently attempted to capture the multifaceted nature of artistic expression on his canvas.

In these paintings, the artist sought to relate the aesthetics of modern art with the movements of classical Indian dance, the sounds of different Ragas, and the sculpted sensuality of temple carvings. "By celebrating poetry, music and dance in his paintings, Husain reasserts the ancient Indian belief that all arts arise from the same creative source and excellence in one, requires a deep understanding of all the others" (K. Bikram Singh, Maqbool Fida Husain, Rahul and Art, New Delhi, 2008, p. 299).

In the present lot, Husain additionally pays tribute to Hindu iconography, another popular subject of classical Indian sculpture. Ganesha, known as the 'Lord of Wisdom' and 'Remover of Obstacles', has been represented in Indian sculpture from the 5th century onwards, and is likely the most widely revered deity in the Hindu pantheon. Here Husain portrays him playing a veena, or stringed musical instrument, alluding perhaps to his role as patron of the arts and sciences.

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