Important Notice

"Human beings, that's all that is really interesting. You paint and you draw in order to learn how to look at human beings, how to look at yourself." - M F HUSAIN

M F Husain considered the human figure to be essential in his depictions of the diverse realities of India. "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... "Human beings, that's all that is really interesting. You paint and you draw in order to learn how to look at human beings, how to look at yourself." - M F HUSAIN

M F Husain considered the human figure to be essential in his depictions of the diverse realities of India. "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-" (Artist quoted in Yashodhara Dalmia, "The Rise of Modern Art and the Progressives," The Progressive Revolution: Modern Art for A New India, New York: Asia Society, 2019) The human figure accordingly became "the vehicle for his exploration of the nature and drama of reality." (Richard Bartholomew and Shiv S Kapur, Husain, New York: Harry N Abrams, Inc., 1972, p. 36)

The female figure, in particular, was a central and recurrent motif in Husain's pictorial language, as can be noticed in the present lot, as well as lot 16. "The central concern of Husain's art, and its dominant motif, is woman... Spiritually, woman is more enduring. Pain comes naturally to her, as do compassion and a sense of the birth and death of things. In Husain's work, woman has the gift of eagerness... like those in ancient Jain miniature paintings, and an inward attentiveness, as if she were listening to the life coursing within her." (Bartholomew and Kapur, p. 46)

The present lot depicts a woman clad in bright traditional attire and jewellery, placed against an earthy backdrop - reminiscent of the vivid landscapes of rural India which had a strong hold on his imagination throughout his career. Rich in metaphors communicated through figures in varied forms, including nude and abstract female forms, animal symbolism, and mythological and historical figures, Husain's works often have a narrative quality that is open to interpretation. "A prolific artist, what went through M. F. Husain's mind when he was painting remained forever a mystery, the artist preferring to let viewers and art writers arrive at their own interpretations. He took episodic moments from his travels - whether passing a slum, or observing a lovers' tiff - and turned them into powerful narratives built around human relationships. Whether evocative of a myth, or merely a glimpsed vignette from life, he imbued them with a dignity that rendered them as powerful as any legend." (Kishore Singh, "M F Husain," Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art, New Delhi: DAG, 2016, p. 219)

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