Important Notice

After getting expelled from the Sir J J School of Art in Bombay in 1945, F N Souza spent his free time “...studying in libraries, where he discovered for the first time illustrations of classical Indian art and of modern European painting. These were a revelation... Souza made a passionate study of Indian art, and was particularly moved by the South Indian bronzes – with their symbolism and their astonishing feeling for movement – and by the... After getting expelled from the Sir J J School of Art in Bombay in 1945, F N Souza spent his free time “...studying in libraries, where he discovered for the first time illustrations of classical Indian art and of modern European painting. These were a revelation... Souza made a passionate study of Indian art, and was particularly moved by the South Indian bronzes – with their symbolism and their astonishing feeling for movement – and by the sublimely erotic carvings on the temples of Khajuraho. Both of these made a lasting impression on him, and were largely responsible for awakening the imagination of the young painter.” (Edwin Mullins, Souza, London: Anthony Blond Ltd., 1962, p. 16)

In 1948, Souza, along with M F Husain, visited the India Independence exhibition in New Delhi. The classical Indian art on display there, particularly the carvings and sculpture, made a lasting impression on the two artists and their work. The present lot, one of Souza’s nudes from 1953, reflects this impact in its primitive simplicity and bold, voluptuous form. Symbolic of femininity, strength and fecundity, these early nudes also drew from the artist’s engagement with African art as well as the work of Picasso and the Spanish Romanesque painters, which he encountered after moving to London in 1949.

The present lot was painted in 1953, and demonstrates his mastery over form, line, and composition, and cements his skills as a draughtsman. Solidly rooted and dominating the board, this standing nude is fearless and defiant. Souza’s thick, black lines outline her without excessive detail, highlighting his refined technique with figuration.

The artist leaves the girl’s face clear of his trademark crosshatching technique as well as any form of distortion. Instead, he paints her with the classic stare that is reminiscent of paintings seen in Spanish Romanesque art. The strong lines delineating her face and her geometrically long nose are distinctive features seen in similar works by Souza from this period. Wearing only a simple necklace, she contemplates the viewer quietly, simultaneously underlining her beauty and her vulnerability.

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