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Lot 13

 

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a) Edwin Mullins, F N Souza: An Introduction, London: Anthony Blond Ltd., 1962

108 pages illustrated with 66 full-page colour & black-and-white plates and 24 line drawings; full grey cloth bound with black title on the front cover and spine with dust jacket.
9.25 x 8.5 in (23.5 x 21.5 cm)

The first comprehensive monograph on Francis Newton Souza, written by British art critic Edwin Mullins, published at a time when Souza was establishing himself as a powerful voice in post-war British and modern Indian art. This publication provides critical analysis of Souza’s early influences, his role in founding the Progressive Artists’ Group in Bombay, and his later works produced in London.

The volume is illustrated with numerous black-and-white plates reproducing the artist’s paintings, drawings, and sketches, offering visual insight into Souza’s evolving style—marked by expressive figuration, eroticism, and religious iconography.

The essay extends to 45 pages, and there is a 3-page list of collectors at the end.

b) F N Souza, Words and Lines, London: Villers, 1959

27 pages [with 18-line drawings in the text], 12 pages carrying 23 standalone drawings; softcover in printed wrappers
10 x 7.5 in (25.5 x 19 cm)

Words and Lines is a rare and visually compelling artist’s book by Francis Newton Souza, combining his provocative prose with his incisive line drawings. Published in London in 1959 by Villers Publications, this slim volume captures Souza’s dual talents as a writer and draughtsman, revealing his visceral, often erotic engagement with the human figure and the urban psyche.

The publication comprises 27 pages of stream-of-consciousness text, frequently accompanied by line illustrations, followed by 12 pages featuring 23 individual drawings, many stark, minimalist, and emotionally charged. Together, they underscore Souza’s radical aesthetic and literary voice during his most experimental period in post-war Britain.

(Set of two)