Important Notice

Creation is an early canvas by Husain, painted a few years after the establishment of the Progressive Artist’s Group in 1947. The bright colours used are characteristic of the artist’s paintings from this period, and one can clearly see the influence of the French expressionist painter Marc Chagall in Husain’s visually stunning depiction of the Garden of Eden.

In Creation, the male and female figures depicted represent Adam and Eve,... Creation is an early canvas by Husain, painted a few years after the establishment of the Progressive Artist’s Group in 1947. The bright colours used are characteristic of the artist’s paintings from this period, and one can clearly see the influence of the French expressionist painter Marc Chagall in Husain’s visually stunning depiction of the Garden of Eden.

In Creation, the male and female figures depicted represent Adam and Eve, surrounded by the lush and tranquil Garden of Eden, populated with birds and fish. The elements earth, air, fire and water are all represented in the work, which is heavily laden with religious imagery and iconography seen in Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.

The peacock, around which the figures are positioned, is considered a sacred bird and is associated with a number of Hindu deities including Krishna, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Murugan, who are variously linked with learning, art, wealth and prosperity, and war. In the Quran the peacock is ejected from paradise along with Adam and Eve, and was considered by early Christians as a symbol of immortality.

The canvas is divided into sections, and the figures rendered so as to represent man as the sun and the day, and Eve as the moon and the night. The upper left section shows Adam in bright yellows and oranges, set against a towering mountain and a burning sky. Eve in the lower right field, composed of white, blues and greens is lying by the banks of a stream, the colours of her hair reflected in the palette of the moon, set against the twinkling stars and ethereal background.

Although divided, the composition is unified by the proximity of the figures, and the gradual transition from day to night in the upper part of the canvas. The stream and mountains maintain the sense of continuity in the lower field. The application of thick impasto to pick out the main features creates generous areas of texture and sit in contrast to the flatter areas of paint.

This formative work by Husain is suffused with a symbolism and imagery that is significant to a number of religions. These are portrayed in a style heavily influenced by Western expressionist painters, resulting in a meaningful and vibrant work which engages the viewer on several theological levels.

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