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"My horses, like lightning, cut across many horizons. From the battlefield of Karbala to Bankura terracotta, from the Chinese Tse Pei Hung horse to St. Marco's horse, from ornate armoured Duldul to [the] challenging white of Ashwamed... the cavalcade of my horses is multidimensional." - M F HUSAIN

One of the most powerful icons in Husain's oeuvre, the horse is a universal symbol for vigour and vitality. Its innate strength and... "My horses, like lightning, cut across many horizons. From the battlefield of Karbala to Bankura terracotta, from the Chinese Tse Pei Hung horse to St. Marco's horse, from ornate armoured Duldul to [the] challenging white of Ashwamed... the cavalcade of my horses is multidimensional." - M F HUSAIN

One of the most powerful icons in Husain's oeuvre, the horse is a universal symbol for vigour and vitality. Its innate strength and grace fascinated Husain throughout his career, and it was a frequent motif in his works, as seen in lots 10, 11 and 12. The horse in Husain's work alludes to various mythical and historical events that have shaped his artistic idiom, often appearing as both a narrative and metaphorical element.

The artist's association with horses began when he was a young boy witnessing "the making of the tazias in Indore where twenty foot high effigies of horses were carried in procession during the final day of Muharram... These gigantic horses signified all the valour of the warrior for the young [Husain]." (Yashodhara Dalmia, "M.F. Husain: Reinventing India," Early Masterpieces: 1950s70s, London: Asia House, 2006) In Husain's oeuvre, they stem from an amalgamation of influences. The valiant horses of the great battle of Karbala fought by the Prophet's grandson Imam Husain ibn Ali also served as an inspiration, and the Hindu myth of the tragically heroic horse of the Aswamedha heightened Husain's imagination. He painted them with the same frenetic energy that they represent through their bucking and rearing postures. "I have not seen these wild animals in the jungle. I have seen them imprisoned in stone on the walls of Khajuraho, Konark, Mahabalipuram - the temples of medieval India." (K Bikram Singh, Maqbool Fida Husain, New Delhi: Rahul & Art, 2008, p. 169)

The present lot depicts a single horse silhouetted against a flat, light background. The monochromatic rendition of the animal directs the focus to the emotional intent of the artist, perhaps that of frenzy and fear, as the horse appears to be fleeing something. "Husain's painted horses do not just bear majestic stateliness and striking beauty but also come alive in every mood, situation and form. Their forceful movement conveys so much that it carries us away with it." (Rashda Siddiqui, In Conversation with Husain Paintings, New Delhi: Books Today, 2001, p. 112)

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