Important Notice

In his monograph on the artist, Edwin Mullins notes that, “They [Souza’s landscapes] are often distorted to the point of destruction – houses no more than lopsided cubes… But they never threaten to dissolve into formalized abstract shapes. The violence and speed with which they are executed keep these images, however distorted, in touch with the painter’s vision of what they really are” (Edwin Mullins, Souza, Anthony Blond Ltd., London, 1962, p.... In his monograph on the artist, Edwin Mullins notes that, “They [Souza’s landscapes] are often distorted to the point of destruction – houses no more than lopsided cubes… But they never threaten to dissolve into formalized abstract shapes. The violence and speed with which they are executed keep these images, however distorted, in touch with the painter’s vision of what they really are” (Edwin Mullins, Souza, Anthony Blond Ltd., London, 1962, p. 36-38).

In the present lot, however, the fury and instability of Souza’s landscapes that Mullins describes is replaced with a terrifying calm; a strong force that heaves an eerie stillness down upon the composition. The artist’s palette, typically vibrant, here is muted with shades of midnight blue dominating the frame. Four dull yellow houses with brown sloping roofs stand aloof in the distance, windowless and obstructed from direct view by three meager trees devoid of leaves or life. While the trees serve to offset the geometry of the scene, they also add to its unnatural atmosphere and sense of isolation.

The thick lines within the painting, almost ‘borders’, dominate each of its components. “Of the pictorial elements it is decidedly the line which is the most developed part of Souza’s vocabulary. Whether it is ornamental or abrupt, lyrical or diabolic, Souza’s line is derived from Picasso; from Picasso’s unmatched virtuosity in delineating an object or figure with sheer element of line… His paintings are really drawn in paint, the line predominating over all other elements and serving to outline, encase and define an image; serving also to provide tonal variations… and to give the painting a structural and surface unity” (Geeta Kapur, “Devil in the Flesh”, Contemporary Indian Artists, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1978, p. 56, 57).

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