Landscape painting can be identified as art that focuses primarily on natural scenery, be it hills, lakesides, farmlands or the sea. Nature has served as inspiration for artists for millenia with many growing up around rich biodiversity and others finding their muses on their travels. Modern Indian artists too have been influenced to interpret diverse topography in their signature styles. Presented below are some such works by Modern Indian artists of note that will be showcased in AstaGuru’s upcoming ‘Historic Masterpieces’ auction.
Lot no. 7: The Lake by F.N. Souza
While in the 1950s and 1960s F.N. Souza created landscapes with bold, black lines and a lot more structure; he completely abandoned that in the early 1970s. The presented lot is evidence of this, showing his use of vivid colours, in thick impasto and no restriction. Many of his landscape works during this time were inspired by the places he visited in the United States during his extensive travels.
Lot no. 20: Landscape by Akbar Padamsee
The presented abstract landscape from the year 1963 represents an important phase in Akbar Padamsee’s journey. One can observe a distinct colour composition tendency, which follows suit through the following years, however the structuring of the work from this period is indeed poetic in nature, opposed to the lyrical premise of his metascapes. In the presented lot, colours cascade into one another, without segmentation, flowing with a swirl of exploration. The technique and style with which the paint was applied, that being with a palette knife, can be defined as innate to the artist.
Lot no. 24: Untitled by Ram Kumar
Starting out as a figurative artist, Ram Kumar went on to become preoccupied almost entirely with abstract landscapes. His childhood in Shimla, surrounded by mountains, and his travels to Varanasi too played a role in inspiring him to make contemplative landscapes. He also had a fascination with looking inward, wanting to explore the human condition through his works. His vast oeuvre is defined by a sombre palette, multiple textures and jagged contours. The presented lot is part of his late works, executed in 2015.
Lot no. 28: L’Orage by S.H. Raza
The presented lot titled ‘L’Orage’ was executed by S.H. Raza during a highly productive phase in his career. Created in 1973, the acrylic on canvas work indicative of his heightened sensibility regarding colour compositions. The sporadic strokes of colour effectively allude, and in its pictorial paradigm, successfully transcend to represent the element of an invisible force. The murkiness of the spatial space communicates the capricious effect that a storm has on a landscape or terrain. This creation is indeed an important pictorial talisman of the artist’s preoccupation with Expressionism.
The stellar collection of AstaGuru’s upcoming ‘Historic Masterpieces’ auction will present several rare and unseen Avant-Garde works from the oeuvre of India’s eminent modernists including Hemendranath Mazumdar, F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza, Jehangir Sabavala, M.F. Husain, Akbar Padamsee, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Krishen Khanna, Jogen Chowdhury, Prabhakar Barwe, K.G. Subramanyan, Ram Kumar, J. Swaminathan, Somnath Hore, Himmat Shah, Satish Gujral, N.S Bendre, K.K. Hebbar, Nicholas Roerich. Several of these works are appearing in an auction for the first time. The auction is scheduled to be held on December 27-28, 2022. Please visit our website to view the entire catalogue and register to bid today.
About AstaGuru
AstaGuru was conceptualised in the year 2008 with the sole purpose of creating a safe and secure platform to conduct online auctions for Indian, Contemporary & Modern Art. The word AstaGuru is a thoughtful conjugation of ‘Asta’, of Italian origin, which translates to auction and ‘Guru’, Sanskrit connotation for ‘master’ that indicates our distinguished finesse at being the leaders of auctioneering art and artefacts in India as well as globally. With the world melting into one harmonious digital cosmos, AstaGuru has strived to successfully bridge the gap between prospective buyers and consignors by transcending the limitations of live auctions. AstaGuru imparts effortless transparency to the process of acquiring and selling art and rare collectibles. Our diverse portfolio includes categories such as Jewellery & Fine Silver, Timepieces, Textiles, Celebrity Memorabilia, Rare Books, Numismatic, Philately and Vintage Cars. AstaGuru’s mobile app enables our esteemed bidders to follow and participate in our auctions seamlessly, and in real time.
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