Important Notice

F N Souza's portraits, especially his renditions of 'Heads,' represented his lifelong interest in the human condition. They began to dominate his oeuvre from the 1940s onwards, maturing stylistically over the decades. The early figurative, "futuristic" works of the 1950s, such as the present lot and lot 26, set the precedent for a unique style that went beyond outward appearances to reveal and critique characters, personalities and depravations.... F N Souza's portraits, especially his renditions of 'Heads,' represented his lifelong interest in the human condition. They began to dominate his oeuvre from the 1940s onwards, maturing stylistically over the decades. The early figurative, "futuristic" works of the 1950s, such as the present lot and lot 26, set the precedent for a unique style that went beyond outward appearances to reveal and critique characters, personalities and depravations. This was a defining period for the artist, whose work had finally gained recognition in London's art circles following the publication of his autobiographical essay "Nirvana of a Maggot," and his subsequent solo show at Victor Musgrave's Gallery One in February 1955. "Many of the tendencies that became distinct in Souza's later years could be detected in these early works. The thick, bounding line, the distortion of the figure and the dislocation of facial characteristics had already begun to mark his style." (Yashodhara Dalmia, "A Passion for the Human Figure," The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2001, p. 80)

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