by M F HUSAIN

limited edition serigraphs

& prints

serigraphs & prints by M

F HUSAIN

112 113

by M F HUSAIN

limited edition serigraphs

& prints

by M F HUSAIN

LIMITED EDITION SERIGRAPHS & PRINTS

G a l l e r y F i v eart Consultants

April 2013© 2014 Gallery Five Art Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

For all enquiries please contact:Mr. Sanjay Kumar SethiaM: +91 9810895435Email: sethiask@gmail.comWebsite: www.g5ac.com

Concept & Design:Sanjay Kumar Sethia

Essays: Georgina Maddox, Art Critic

Photography:Raj Salhotra

Printed at Archanawww.archanapress.com

ISBN: 978-81-929500-0-6 Front Cover : Café DeuxBack Cover : OPCE

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the Copyright owner of this catalogue. G5AC will not be held Responsible for any typing / printing errors or spelling errors in the catalogue.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD by SANjAy K. SEtHIA 7

ESSAyS by GEORGINA MADDOx 9-15

THE HISTORy Of SERIGRAPHy & ThE IMPORTANCE OF PRINTMAKING

THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE Of SERIGRAPHy

IMPRINTING ThE FuTuRE: MAqbOOL fIDA HuSAIN AND HIS AffINITy TO SERIGRAPHy ARtWORK PLAtES

AShThA VINAYAKA SERIES 18-19

hORSES SERIES 20-35

THEORAMA SERIES PRINT 36-46 SERIGRAPh 48-58

KRIShNA LEELA SERIES 60-61

MAhABhARATA SERIES 62

KERALA SERIES 63

BRITISh RAJ SERIES 64-65

MuSICIAN SERIES 66

RAJASThAN SERIES 67

MOThER TERESA SERIES 68-73

OuR PLANET CALLED EARTh SERIES 74-95

GANEShA 97

MECCA & CAMEL 98

MADhuRI DANCING 99

DuRGA 100

DANCING WOMEN 101

WOMAN & HORSE 102

CAfÉ DEuX 103

MAQbOOL FIDA HUSAIN: LIFE & tIMES 104-107

G a l l e r y F i v eart Consultants

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“A PRINT IS FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE TASTE THAN MONEY” - M F huSAIN

This publication by Gallery Five Art Consultants presents art lovers and enthusiasts a prospective into the origins, the creative process and also the economic factors related to investment potential of serigraphs and prints fashioned by exceptional artists such as M F husain.

This portfolio was produced with great energy and time dedicated by the artist. They are an extension to the more traditional mediums such as canvas and paper. Limited Edition, numbered and signed, original serigraphs and prints are equally respected as an original paintings. These are regarded as original works of Art by the artist.

husain’s vision was to make his works affordable to all levels of collectors, from the first time buyer to the seasoned collector. Our mission, with this publication, is to align with that vision and to encourage all levels of art enthusiasts to interact with and own a work of art. A publication like ‘The Silk Route’, challenges the myth that art is only for the elite. It increases art awareness and expands the pool of young and first time collectors adding to the existing circle.

historically prices have increased over a period of time for serigraphs and prints, as well as near record prices in auctions around the world but, this cannot be the defining factor in purchasing any work of art. A buyer has to treat appreciation in value as incidental. The criteria for Art can only be its aesthetic beauty where the collector can showcase their work with pride of place on their walls, enjoying the emotions that works of art invoke.

I hope viewers of this publication find it inspiring and memorable, joyous and complete.

Sanjay Kumar Sethia

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tHE HIStORy OF SERIGRAPHy AND tHE IMPORtANCE OF PRINtMAKING

Serigraphy is considered as one of the oldest methods of printmaking. Silk-screen printing or serigraphy appears to have originated in Egypt where the tombs of Pharaohs were decorated by stencils and the Greek mosaics. historians set the watermark date as 9000 BC. The Chinese were known to use stencils to reproduce the image of Lord Buddha as early as 221- 618 AD. While the Japanese made the process more complex by stretching a piece of silk across a bamboo frame that served as a carrier of hand-cut stencils, in fact this method is what most contemporary artists use. With Indian art now getting appreciation and applause everywhere, it is important that people have easy access to art prints by some of the great artists of our country.

In India mass production prints may be traced back to the Indus Valley civilization where plates were etched with land-deeds and reproduced. however, it was with the arrival of Guttenberg’s Bible that was first printed in India as a device to duplicate and reproduce that the ‘modern’ technique of printmaking came to India.

The first record of printmaking process being used in India dates back to 1586. It was then that the first illustrated cover was printed in Goa for the book ‘Constituciones do Arcebispado d’Goa’ (Constitution of Archdiocese Goa). The illustration, an image of a traditional doorway or entrance, was done using the relief technique of woodblock. Thirteen such books were printed in Goa between 1556 and 1588.

It was however during the Raj under the guidance of the British, that printing became formally mechanized in India. They were keen to introduce their education system and encourage the talent of craft and design-oriented artists. They introduced mass production in India via printing presses, and silkscreen printing on fabrics. It was to fulfill the demand for Indian crafts in the foreign market that was a growing trade.

Printmaking for artistic purposes only began to emerge with early Modern artist like Raja Ravi Varma (1848 –1906). From Ravi Varma to Modern Contemporary artists like M F husain (1915 –2011), prints now balance on the cusp of fine and popular art in their own right.

unlike the West, India had a peculiar condition where printmaking rivaled painting. As scholar Partha Mitter rightly points out, there was an unsaid rivalry between prints and originals, where the latter was given more value than the former.

“…1The printed image in India rivaled painting, thereby challenging its aura of authenticity. As the pioneering printmaking firms,

MARy ICONEARLY GREEK PRINT

uSING GOLD

tHE HIStORy OF SERIGRAPHy AND tHE IMPORtANCE OF PRINtMAKINGimage 1: http://www.artopweb.comimage 2: http://www.printsasia.com

tHE ECONOMIC IMPORtANCE OF SERIGRAPHyImage reference: http://www.artflute.com

IMPRINtING tHE FUtURE: MAQbOOL FIDA HUSAIN AND HIS AFFINIty tO SERIGRAPHyhttp://www.islamhoy.org

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Calcutta Art and the Poona Chitrashala Press show, mechanical prints helped forge the Indian nation by creating a common visual culture. However, the very nature of mass reproduction itself contributed to the weakening and diluting of the monolithic character of elite nationalism.”

however artists like husain or Anupam Sud often destroy that hierarchy by making their prints as collectible as their original art works, since they invested as much artistry in the print as they do in the original. Also by working in a unique manner on the serigraphy print artists like husain, have added a premium to their prints. Art critic Paula Sengupta has pointed out that artist often combine printmaking techniques with painting and installation art as well.

Though Ravi Varma’s was the first artist in India to use printmaking, he did not employ it as an artistic medium in itself, but as a means for his art to reach the masses. To achieve his purpose, he set up his own lithographic press towards the end of the 19th century, known as the Ravi Varma press in Ghatkopar, Bombay. here he copied several of his religious and secular paintings and printed them as glossy oleographs; over time though Varma’s oleographs have gained in value because of their historicity and rarity.

Serigraphs have been upheld by the likes of the British Standard Institute and Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco as works of art. In the West artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Tom Wesselmann and Robert Rauschenberg began creating major works in silk screen, by experimenting with colors and textures that were unavailable in other mediums, print as a creative medium in India started during the second decade of the twentieth century.

The history of printmaking in India unlike painting and drawing is often attached to art institutions and large cooperative studios; whether it is Kala Bhavana in Santiniketan or the Graphics department in the Faulty of Fine Arts, Baroda MSu.

This is because printmaking requires a certain amount of infrastructure; large print-press machines to draw out prints in the case of etching, woodcut and Lino-prints; large stones in the instance of lithography, acid wash tubs, ink rollers and a large space to dry the prints after they have been inked.

The practice of printmaking as a fine art medium gained immense popularity with the establishment of Kala Bhavan founded by the Tagores in 1919. In 1990, the Indian Printmakers Guild was established. Over the years, it has been successful in building

awareness about the medium and creating appreciation for it. In 1999, in Baroda, it was the formation of Chhaap, which established printmakers into a studio practice that was supportive technically and intellectually. The organization aspires to promote printmaking and continually offers new work opportunities to artists, enabling them to investigate and experiment with the different techniques.

A typical serigraph may be created with a woven mesh to support an ink-blocking stencil that receives the desired image. The stencil forms open areas of the mesh that transfer ink or other printable materials which is then pressed through the mesh as a sharp-edged image onto a substrate or surface on which an enzyme acts.

A fill blade or squeegee is moved across the screen stencil, pumping ink into the mesh openings for transfer by capillary action during the squeegee stroke. This process ensures that the hand of the artist is at work in creating the strokes, almost like a painting. Silk Screen printing is not as easy as it sounds, because even though the heavy machinery and cumbersome stones of Lithography are not required, when a colour print is made, an artist will have to use up to 32 different screens in order to create a single serigraph. This is because each colour is printed on a separate screen. It can often be a complicated process, which requires supervision and dexterity. husain, a master of many mediums displayed great alacrity and skill in producing his own serigraphs, often in the privacy of his studio without much assistance.

husain preferred the silkscreen printmaking technique because it suited his mobile lifestyle and it also responded well to the immediacy with which husain loved to work. Most of husain’s original paintings were hardly ever reworked of created through a studied deliberation. The artist would paint using rapid strong lines first and then swatches of bright colours; he would build up the composition as he went along, often without even using preparatory drawings. Serigraphy captures this spontaneity of the artist well without being tied to a studio system.

husain has created many of these prints in studios outside India. This is not because India is lacking in technical support, but because husain often lived abroad, especially after he was exiled from his motherland, because of Right Wing oppression.

Georgina Maddox

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Serigraphy opens up the art mart and makes it more accessible by working with the artist to create limited editions of prints. The Limited Edition print and the art print market has expanded enormously over the last decade. This growth in art print sales has been stimulated by an increasing interest in contemporary art. So while auction houses have escalated the prices of original art works, prints cater to that segment of the market whose aspiration to acquire art is on the rise. It may be interesting to note that the market for originals and artist prints are not exclusive. Many people who can actually afford original artwork are also collectors of prints.

This is because the prints, like the art works are signed and have resale value in the market. An artist’s name on an art print or limited edition print can increase the price by two or more times. This does not mean signed art prints have intrinsic value only to the autograph collectors, but it is true that in some cases the entire economic value of an art print is in the signature.

however the signature of the artist is not the only important factor to add value to an artist print. What also defines the real investment potential of the art work is whether the artist has worked on the print himself or not. Mass produced prints usually are poor in value, and it is the limited edition prints that the artist is involved in personally creating that has the real value. A serigraph print is also classified as an original art work. This is because the artist stencils directly on the silkscreen. It is usually manually produced and is usually 200 to 300 in number, increasing the rarity factor.

A print marked 2/250 is the second of two hundred and twenty-five images. The number indicates the order in which prints were signed, not necessarily the order in which the impressions were pulled. This, plus the fact that later impressions are sometimes superior to earlier pulls, means that lower numbers do not generally indicate better quality impressions. hence 500 serigraphs can be easily pulled from a stencil and often the later pulls are better than the earlier editions.

Following international practice, many print studios price their portfolio whereby prices rise at pre-determined intervals, based on how many prints are left. For instance, the first batch of 100 prints is sold for Rs 75,000, the next batch at Rs 90,000 and the remaining at Rs 1,15,000.

A serigraph is generally more expensive than a lithograph and also has better quality in terms of colour density and resolution. Very often the market will respond to the

tHE ECONOMIC IMPORtANCE OF SERIGRAPHy

vicissitudes of supply, but also other factors such as, condition, rarity and rating of the print in question, relative to the whole body of work.

In the instance of M F husain’s prints that are featured in this collection, what is remarkable about these series is not only are they signed, produced by the artist’s hand but they also belong to husain’s best know and celebrated series — Krishna Leela, Mahabharata, British Raj, Ashtha Vinayak, The Mother Teresa Series, The Theorama Series, Our Planet called Earth and his most famous The Horses Series, all cardinal to the artists oeuvre.

Another important factor in ascertaining the resale value of a signed serigraph is the provenance of the artwork. In this instance the collection is from the collection of husain’s family (with the exception of ‘Our Planet Called Earth’ series which comes from a Pune based collector. Serigraphy is a wonderful opportunity for young and seasoned collectors to purchase works by renowned artists at affordable prices.

Most gallery owners will tell you that the value of a print rises when the edition is sold out and availability becomes scarce, for instance a print of his Ashtha Vinayak series that was purchased in 2004 at Rs 30,000/- is now easily worth four times that amount.

Two M F husain serigraphs from the artist’s Jaisalmer series, which he released in 2003 for Rs 25,000 each, went at Bonham’s Auction house auction in April 2006 for £1800 and £1900 (around Rs 1.5 lakh). This was while the artist was still alive. With husain having passed away, the price of his serigraphs and prints can only be on the rise.

Georgina Maddox

FOLK-LORE JAISALMER SERIES

29” x 22”SERIGRAPh 1/200,

by M f HuSAIN

References:1. Partha Mitter—School of English and American Studies,

university of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BNI 9QN, Sussex, uK.2. Research at Serigraphy Studio.3. Referenced from India Today.4. Business Today.

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IMPRINtING tHE FUtURE:MAQbOOL FIDA HUSAIN AND HIS AFFINIty tO SERIGRAPHy

with his artistic sensibilities. It became the source of angularity in his figures and forms. Despite rightwing efforts to pigeon-hole him as an Islamic artist, husain would return time and again to themes that blended folk, tribal and mythological art to create vibrantly contemporary, living art forms. In fact his rise as a public figure has as much to do with his style and presentation, as it does with his themes.

“In negotiating the iconic husain had invested it with a mythic aura, restoring its original functions….While Raja Ravi Varma, had humanized the Gods as real men and women in his tableaux like canvases,( that were later reproduced as oleographs), husain, under modernism empowered them with a symbolic presence while contextualizing them in the contemporary, thereby layering their form with multiple meanings”, writes Yashodhara Dalmia in her seminal book The Making of Modern Indian Art.

husain’s depiction of the icons of Indian culture, through the ages, are an effort capture the quintessence of his subjects, like Mother Teresa and the characters of epics like the Mahabharata. his serigraphs also follow the same thread of ideas, as each series captures these important works in vibrant colours. From the Mother Teresa series to his horse series, husain has made his major works accessible through the format of serigraphy. however it is not a simple duplication of themes, for many of the serigraphs are enhanced in value by the use of silver and gold leaf while making the serigraphs. In fact, husain is one of the few artists to work with silver and gold in his silk-screen prints. More often than not, silver and gold serigraphy is prepared by Christian icon makers in Russia and Greece.

husain always held that serigraphs are their own originals, because each colour is printed separately by hand. In art jargon, these works of art are ‘multiple originals’. In fact serigraphy has a character of its own: a raised texture and colours that are slightly brighter than the original work. Every signed print is an original in that sense.

husain was one of the artists who championed the artistic value of serigraphs by collaborating with various galleries and studios to produce a portfolio of serigraphs that would be available to more and more people. Always aware of popular themes, affordability and most of all, for being a husain original work of Art.

Georgina Maddox

Maqbool Fida husain was arguably one of the most important forces in India to popularize art. husain was born into a working class family in 1913 in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. he was a self-taught artist who began making a living as a billboard painter while creating furniture designs and toys, in the 1930s in Bombay (now Mumbai). hence he was already familiar with popular forms of artistic mediums such as poster painting and screen printing. In the 1940s he joined the Progressive Artists Group that featured members like the articulate Francis Newton Souza, the spiritually reflective Syed haider Raza, K h Ara, Sadanand Bakre and Gade.

M F husain like many of his contemporaries pursued an endless quest for his cultural roots and displayed a fearlessly open-minded willingness to absorb diverse influences. husain was one of the most prolific and democratic figures of contemporary Indian art. he was not a believer of the rarified white cube exclusivity of art but was known to be interactive in his art practice. From live painting and drawing, to creating a husain artwork screen saver, to experiments in creating serigraph prints, husain’s motto was to disseminate art in as many ways possible, including prints that could be owned by a number of people.

When an artist print-maker, like husain, produces an original stencil print using the hand-held screen-printing method these are classified as serigraphs. Because the work is made by the hand of the artist, or in some instances under his/her supervision, their value is considered higher than a simple offset print which is machine made.

historically, serigraphy is a print making technique, among others like lino-cut, wood cut, etching, oleographs and lithography. Deriving its name from the Latin word Sericum which means silk and the Greek word graphein which means to draw, Serigraphy literally means to draw through silk. The technique originated in China (960 -1279 AD) but it gained artistic endorsement in the 1930s, when a group of artists, who later formed the National Serigraphic Society coined the word Serigraphy. It was differentiated as an artistic application of screen printing, which was set apart from the industrial use of the process.

In India the industrial silk screen printing method was popular in Kolkata, Jaipur and Kashmir. While in artistic spheres, it was artists like K G Subramaniam, Bhupen Khakhar and M F husain, Jehangir Sabavala and Raza among others, who made silk-screen a popular artistic technique. It became a popular form of printmaking because it allows colour printing with exactitude of form and vibrancy in colour.

husain was also inspired by the geometric forms of Arabic Kufic calligraphy that tied in

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ARTWORK PLATES

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ASHtHA VINAyAKA SERIES

AShThA VINAYAKA | 13.75” X 20” | PRINT

The eight Ganesha’s or Ashtha Vinayaka or eight avatars of Ganesha and the pilgrimage of the eight temples in Maharashtra.

Ganesha is the hindu deity of obstacles, unity, prosperity and learning. Ganapati as the myth goes, was born from Parvati, created from her own body dirt and kept outside to guard her boudoir. Shiva in his haste to enter Parvati’s lodgings does not realize Ganapati is Parvati’s ward and beheads him.

When he discovers his folly, Shiva places the head of a baby elephant and gives life to Ganesha. husain in his depiction of Ganesha creates a playful, loveable and utterly humane interpretation of the God.

Whether it is Ganesha dancing with his avatars, cuddled up to his mother Parvati, riding Nandi the white bull at Mount Kailash or balancing a modak that looks more like a celestial orb, Ganesha is never static or weary but full of youthful pizzazz.

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tHREE HORSES

ASOKA

SILVER HORSES

RAINbOW HORSE

LUV & KUSH

FINISHING POINt

HORSE V

HORSE x

CROSS FADE 1

CROSS FADE 2

HORSE IV

HORSE 1

FULL MOON HORSES

ARAbIC HORSES

HORSES SERIES

The horse is perhaps husain’s most emblematic and iconic animal that has acquired the status of a symbol for the artist himself. In fact husain went to the extent of ‘inviting’ a splendid white horse to one of his art openings. Nobel, energetic, powerful the horse appealed to husain’s painterly instincts and they appear unfettered and free, glorying in wild abandon.

Husain willfully pushed freedom to its utmost limits…the freedom to turn every strong impulse into frenziedly executed images, never stopping to contemplate but allowing his energy to flow unimpeded on to the canvas2. The horse is the paramount translation of this energy.

tHREE HORSES is one of the few husain compositions that celebrate colour rather than line. Swatches of primary colours of blue, red and yellow dominate the palette while a hint of green elevates the strong hues. The horses appear entangled and it is difficult at first to pick their forms out of the daubs of colour that the artist has applied in thick heavy strokes. This serigraph bares a strong stamp of the hand of the artist for it captures the original strokes of the paintings.

THREE HORSES | 27.5” X 20” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

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ASOKA | 22” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

A dramatic composition, which is primarily rendered in black lines against a red backdrop, it showcases the glory and pomp of the King Asoka.The serigraph titled ASOKA is a tribute to the secular leader who was one of India’s important rulers. The heraldic lion of the Asoka stamp, which is our national emblem on coins and official documents, is symbolically indicated by the floating heads of three lions. husain has delineated Asoka in profile with a warrior-like turban on his head. he appears to ride on a chariot of vigorous horses that are the most colourful component that dominates the composition. The king’s sword drips with blood indicating that this work glorifies his prowess at battle, before Asoka took to the Buddhist faith.

Green and yellow offset by silver horses prancing in an invisible circle, SILVER HORSES is at once modern and geometric, while capturing all the natural candor and energy of the horses. The serigraph is rendered unique by the use of silver leaf that husain employed to create a unique work of art.

SILVER hORSES | 19” x 25” | SILVER PRINT 1/250

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RAINBOW hORSE | 23” x 17” | PRINT 1/200

RAINbOW HORSE is a celebration of the formal values of line, colour and form, this horse appears slightly displaced by the clever use of cuboids that interrupt the naturalistic form of the horse. The vibrant use of reds blues and yellows, husain’s favorite primary colours, enhances the work as do the angular lines.

LuV & KuSh | 27.5” x 19.75” | PRINT 1/200

Taking a page out of mythology husain paints the story of Ashvamedha. According to the myth, the splendid white horse adorned with jewels was sent from Lord Rama’s kingdom. The horse strayed into Sage Valmiki’s ashram and LUV AND KUSH, the sons of Lord Ram, befriended the horse. The original painting is characterized by bold strokes and vibrant colours while the horse is slightly cubistic with sharp lines and palette-knife work. This signed print captures the colour and texture vividly.

In the composition, the horse appears larger than life, for the tiny figures of Luv and Kush, are relegated to the bottom register of the painting. Armed with their bows and arrows they take on the mighty army of Shatrughna accompanying the horse. Sage Valmiki balances atop the back of the horse deep in mediation.

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husain’s FINISHING POINt is an endearing self-portrait. It pictures husain, the white haired artist standing with his trademark large brush, before the canvas painting vividly coloured horses that seem to be charging into the distance. here the energetic strokes of the painter are matched by the galloping horses where artist and muse merge into one.

FINIShING POINT | 18” X 22” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

HORSE V is a playful encounter between Yin and Yang, black and white or day and night, husain’s horse V, pictures two steeds racing toward each other. A slender river of orange colour runs between them grounding the composition. The work is airy, energetic and display husain’s ability to express minimally.

hORSE V | 43” X 22.5” | SERIGRAPh 1 /250

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In a powerful display of diagonals and flat colours HORSE x displays husain’s prowess as a Modern Artist.

The work posses both restraint and the dynamism that is characteristic of husain’s compositions, created by the placement horses.

Three horses charge from left to right of the work while one at the bottom charges from the right. This placement lends the work movement and vigor. The serigraph is further enhanced by the use of silver that husain often worked with while creating his serigraphs. The silver leaf not only enhances the value of the work but renders each work unique.

hORSE X | 35” X 29” | SERIGRAPh 1/150

Strong reds and yellows characterize HORSES IV, which is divided into two registers.

he top register pictures a group of horses galloping in the distance.

The bottom half of the work displays two energetic horses that zoom into the foreground.

Once again the artist engages in a strategic placement of left and right creating movement and perspective by a strategic placement of forms.

hORSE IV | 39” x 27.5” | SERIGRAPh 1/200

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CROSS FADE 1

CROSS fADE 1 & 228.5” x 20”SERIGRAPh 1/250

CROSS FADE 2

Lyrical, minimal and perfectly balanced, CROSS FADE 1 and 2 display husain’s love for modernism. The conjoined horses look East and West balancing on their back-legs, their hooves pawing at the air and their mounts emitting a wild neigh.

They are vibrant in form, but the colour palette is soothing blues, gold and silver.

husain probably created this exclusively as a serigraph using gold and silver, Inspired by the icon makers of Russia who would enhance their prints. In a similar manner by using these precious materials, husain loved to create serigraphs that gloried in the purity and elegance of gold and silver tints.

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Vibrant colours, distinctive line and the use of the circular composition husain’s HORSE I possesses all the trademark characteristics of a husain composition. Additionally a golden orb, which is symbolic of the sun, creates a focal point for the artwork balancing the charging horses and uniting them in what could be a sun chariot that references both mythology and modernity. While the red and blue horses are cardinal to the composition, the grey and white horses are the perfect foil to balance out the other two stallions.

hORSE 1 | 28” x 40” | SERIGRAPh 1/150

FULL MOON HORSES: Mustangs are a mythic symbol of freedom, heroism, romance and limitless possibilities. husain places his herd of wild horses galloping in a field of red under a full moon in a dark sky, to evoke not just a romantic notion of freedom and primal joy, but also imbuing it with and planetary undertones. Astrologically galloping horses under a full moon are connected to Venus that welcomes in the Year of the horse. The Full Moon often symbolizes a high tide of events and feelings that compel those born under that star to follow their heart. husain’s horses certainly follow their hearts evoking ebullience and energy.

FuLL MOON hORSES | 20” x 34” | SERIGRAPh 1/300

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ARAbIC HORSES: A signed print, this triptych glories in the equine spirit and vigor. A bearded and robed rider sits atop one of the horses, balancing an orb on his palm, he appears to be a heavenly messenger. The work is characterized by the Kufic urdu script, which runs across the top register of the composition while the subdued palette of browns and whites give the work a royal feel. ARABIC hORSES | 12.5” x 28” | PRINT 1/250

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tHEORAMA‘SEt OF 10 PRINtS’

In his pursuit of the secular and the Modern, M F husain created a series that he titled the Theorama. In this husain pays tribute to the plurality of India, its various religions and customs, creating a lively panorama of, hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jain, Buddhist, Chinese and the Zoroastrian faith.

The Theorama series discusses theosophy and religion. husain has gathered hindu deities like Ganesha, Shiva and Krishna in one canvas and voiced the concept of unity of faith. he similarly creates a pantheon of other religious faiths highlight their salient features through iconography that is both mythic and modern.

VEDIC

jAINISM

bUDDHISM

SIKHISM

ISLAM

CHRIStIANIty

tAOISM

ZOROAStRIANISM

jUDAISM

FAItH UNtItLED

ThEORAMA VEDIC | 20” x 28” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

tHEORAMA VEDIC: Indolent cows juxtaposed against an energetic baby Krishna dancing on the Sheshnag, Trimurti floating on swirls of the serpent’s coil and of course Gaja Laxmi on her resplendent elephant makes an appearance in this mega-mythic composition. They are brought together in a swirl of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. Joyous, celebratory and zesty, husain’s tribute to the Vedas is complete.

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tHEORAMA jAINISM: portrays Mahavira, standing tall, against a red backdrop, his brown body covered with leaves.

A lotus grows at his feet while a celestial chariot, led by an angle and followed by a horse and wagon, pay tribute to this noble figure, their form recalling the toys that husain once made for a living.

THEORAMA JAINISM28” x 20” PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

ThEORAMA BuDDhISM | 20” x 28” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

tHEORAMA bUDDHISM: Picturing an important moment in the life of the ascetic monk, Lord Gautama Buddha, husain paints the Temptation of Mara. According to legend Mara is a demon that temped Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, are often said to be Mara’s daughters. husain pictures Buddha, seated under the Peepal tree, a stoic and detached ascetic while the daughters of Mara are indicated by their flowing garments and their curved physiognomies.

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tHEORAMA SIKHISM: The Guru hargobind Singh astride his horse is a very iconic and popular image of the Sikh faith. It is said that the Guru gave instructions to the Masands and to all the other Sikhs that they should make offerings in the future of horses and weapons rather than just money.

husain pays tribute to the Guru his war-like visage and the horse in his trademark style, indicating the holy Guru Granth Sahib, the repository of all its teachings.

ThEORAMA SIKhISM | 28” x 20” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300) ThEORAMA ISLAM | 28” x 20” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

tHEORAMA ISLAM: The mytho-logical winged steed of Islam is referred to as Al-Buraq. Described as a creature from the heavens it is known to transport the prophets in a night flight.

husain invokes the steed in his tribute to Islam. The Kaaba at the centre, the lyrical dancing Kufic script and the Kuran are also powerful symbols of Islam. husain lightens the atmosphere by including a vignette of Palm Springs and a few camels for gaiety.

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ThEORAMA ChRISTIANITY | 20” X 28” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

tHEORAMA CHRIStIANIty: The ultimate symbol of Christ’s sacrifice and God the Father’s love for his people is the Crucifixion. husain adds his own interpretation of a theme many artists have painted, by placing Mother Teresa and the sisters of Charity near the cross, while a sari clad Mary Magdalene leans on the cross. In a bold tableaux husain captures the key doctrines of Christianity: sacrifice, forgiveness and compassion.

ThEORAMA TAOISM | 20” X 28” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

tHEORAMA tAOISM: husain a traveler himself pays tribute to the famous Chinese traveler, hieun Tsang, who visited India. husain chose to depict the traveler in a schematic manner—through an assemblage of tri-angles and circles, his long mustache and conical hat immediately placing him as Chinese. he is seen crossing over two black squares, possibly the continents of India and China. A Ming vase and husain’s quintessential horses grace the bottom register of the work.

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ThEORAMA ZOROASTRIANISM | 20” X 28” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

tHEORAMA ZOROAStRIANISM: The fire worshippers, Zoroastrians consider their fire temple the sanctum sanctorum, a place of worship only for those born into the faith. husain shares their rituals and beliefs in this work indicating the two priests dressed in traditional grab, the sacred fire that is said to be burning since the time of Ahura Mazda and transported from Khvarazm and the fire temple itself that is schematically rendered.

tHEORAMA jUDAISM: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime”, this famous parable is taught in both Judaism and Christianity.

husain pictures a muscular almost Grecian teacher, possibly Christ, sitting at the edge of the river, preaching to a vast following.

ThEORAMA JuDAISM | 28” x 20” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

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ThEORAMA FAITh uNTITLED | 20” X 28” | PRINT 1/200(250)(300)

THEORAMA FAITH UNTITLED (Also titled Yatra Naryastu): The meaning of Yatra Naryastu translates: Where women are worshiped and God Resides: This verse is taken from ancient hindu scriptures. It propounds that the ultimate reality is one and the world of beings is its manifestations. husain in a rare abstract work contemplates the Indian mythology where Shiva and Shakti are represented as two sides of the same divinity. The red and orange square is split in the middle by a strip of yellow, signifying the two energies of male and female.

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tHEORAMA‘SEt OF 10 SERIGRAPHS’

In his pursuit of the secular and the Modern, M F husain created a series that he titled the Theorama. In this husain pays tribute to the plurality of India, its various religions and customs, creating a lively panorama of, hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jain, Buddhist, Chinese and the Zoroastrian faith.

The Theorama series discusses theosophy and religion. husain has gathered hindu deities like Ganesha, Shiva and Krishna in one canvas and voiced the concept of unity of faith. he similarly creates a pantheon of other religious faiths highlight their salient features through iconography that is both mythic and modern.

VEDIC

jAINISM

bUDDHISM

SIKHISM

ISLAM

CHRIStIANIty

tAOISM

ZOROAStRIANISM

jUDAISM

FAItH UNtItLED tHEORAMA VEDIC: Indolent cows juxtaposed against an energetic baby Krishna dancing on the Sheshnag, Trimurti floating on swirls of the serpent’s coil and of course Gaja Laxmi on her resplendent elephant makes an appearance in this mega-mythic composition. They are brought together in a swirl of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. Joyous, celebratory and zesty, husain’s tribute to the Vedas is complete.

ThEORAMA VEDIC | 21” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

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THEORAMA JAINISM30” X 21”SERIGRAPh 1/250

tHEORAMA jAINISM: Portrays Mahavira, standing tall, against a red backdrop, his brown body covered with leaves.

A lotus grows at his feet while a celestial chariot, led by an angle and followed by a horse and wagon, pay tribute to this noble figure, their form recalling the toys that husain once made for a living.

ThEORAMA BuDDhISM | 21” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

tHEORAMA bUDDHISM: Picturing an important moment in the life of the ascetic monk, Lord Gautama Buddha, husain paints the Temptation of Mara According to Legend Mara is a demon that temped Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, are often said to be Mara’s daughters. husain pictures Buddha, seated under the Peepal tree, a stonic and detached ascetic while the daughters of Mara are indicated by their flowing garments and their curved physiognomies.

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ThEORAMA SIKhISM30” x 21”SERIGRAPh 1/250

tHEORAMA SIKHISM: The Guru hargobind Singh astride his horse is a very iconic and popular image of the Sikh faith.

It is said that the Guru gave instructions to the Masands and to all the other Sikhs that they should make offerings in the future of horses and weapons rather than just money.

husain pays tribute to the Guru his war-like visage and the horse in his trademark style, indicating the holy Guru Granth Sahib, the repository of all its teachings.

THEORAMA ISLAM30” x 21”SERIGRAPh 1/250

tHEORAMA ISLAM: The mytho-logical winged steed of Islam is referred to as Al-Buraq. Described as a creature from the heavens it is known to transport the prophets in a night flight.

husain invokes the steed in his tribute to Islam. The Kaaba at the centre, the lyrical dancing Kufic script and the Kuran are also powerful symbols of Islam.

husain lightens the atmosphere by including a vignette of Palm Springs and a few camels for gaiety.

54 55

tHEORAMA CHRIStIANIty: The ultimate symbol of Christ’s sacrifice and God the Father’s love for his people is the Crucifixion. husain adds his own interpretation of a theme many artists have painted, by placing Mother Teresa and the sisters of Charity near the cross, while a sari clad Mary Magdalene leans on the cross. In a bold tableaux husain captures the key doctrines of Christianity: sacrifice, forgiveness and compassion.

ThEORAMA ChRISTIANITY | 21” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

tHEORAMA tAOISM: husain a traveler himself pays tribute to the famous Chinese traveler, hieun Tsang, who visited India, choosing to depict the traveler in a schematic manner—through an assemblage of triangles and circles, his long mustache and conical hat immediately placing him as Chinese. he is seen crossing over two black squares, possibly the continents of India and China. A Ming vase and husain’s quintessential horses grace the bottom register of the work.

ThEORAMA TAOISM | 21” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

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tHEORAMA ZOROAStRIANISM: The fire worshippers, Zoroastrians consider their fire temple the sanctum sanctorum, a place of worshiponly for those born into the faith. husain shares their rituals and beliefs in this work indicating the two priests dressed in traditional grab, the sacred fire that is said to be burning since the time of Ahura Mazda and transported from Khvarazm and the fire temple itself that is schematically rendered.

ThEORAMA ZOROASTRIANISM | 21” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

tHEORAMA jUDAISM: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime”, this famous parable is taught in both Judaism and Christianity.

husain pictures a muscular almost Grecian teacher, possibly Christ, sitting at the edge of the river, preaching to a vast following.

THEORAMA JuDAISM30” x 21”SERIGRAPh 1/250

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tHEORAMA yAtRA NARyAStU: The meaning of Yatra Naryastu translates: Where women are worshiped and God Resides: This verse is taken from ancient hindu scriptures. It propounds that the ultimate reality is one and the world of beings is its manifestations. husain in a rare abstract work contemplates the Indian mythology where Shiva and Shakti are represented as two sides of the same divinity. The red and orange square is split in the middle by a strip of yellow, signifying the two energies of male and female. This Serigraph is special since husain has used gold leaf, enhancing the value of the serigraph.

ThEORAMA YATRA NARYASTu | 21” x 30’ | SERIGRAPh 1/250

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KRISHNA LEELA : In the secular spirit and in a bid to embrace the great Indian hindu pantheon, husain paints, ‘Krishna Leela’. The large serigraph captures the vibrancy of the original work, with vivid blues, reds, browns and greens. The protagonist baby Krishna is mischievously playful as he sits atop his favourite white cow, playing his flute. In a stop-motion animation, husain paints him in three different poses, as he teases the Gopis on their way to fill water. One of them balances a tiny dancing Ganesha on her palm. These works are vibrant and full of life and movement.

KRISHNA LEELA SERIES

KRIShNA LEELA | 22” x 30.5” | SERIGRAPh 1/250 KRIShNA LEELA | 28” X 40” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

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At the centre of his epic depiction of his ‘Mahabharata’ serigraph, husain places the sage Vyasa and Lord Ganesh, with a quill in his hand taking down the words of the sage.

Around these central figures are several characters, blindfolded Gandhari, the legendary archer Bhishma Pitamah lying on a bed of arrows, bloody figures of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes at war, Abhimanyu fixing the wheel of the chariot and of course a few charging horses.

The narrative is quite straight forward and frontal, while the colours are vivid and compelling. It captures a monumental human drama with all the compulsions of their psyche and destiny.

MAhABhARATA | 23” x 36” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

MAHAbHARAtA SERIES KERALA SERIES

KERALA III: Part of a series that captures the vibrant and verdant state of Kerala, husain’s 'Kerala-III’ was painted around 2003. In an interview with a leading daily, husain once said “if Kashmir is all about men and mountains then Kerala is all about women and nature”. husain pays tribute to both, as a slender woman is lifted by a green elephant that appears to merge with lush vegetation and the palm trees.

KERALA III | 35” x 35” | SERIGRAPh 1/200

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BRITISh RAJ | 39” x 21” | SERIGRAPh 1/300

The original painting of ‘British Raj’ hangs in the lobby of the Lalit in Delhi and is one of husain’s masterpieces. This serigraph, which comes in three sizes, allows the work to travel.

Elephant, camel and horse merge with dancer, warrior, king and queen in a twisted juggernaut of energy.

husain was tongue in cheek about the Raj but this work depicts the intermingling of cultures where white and brown come together on one canvas.

bRItISH RAj SERIES

BRITISh RAJ | 39” x 21” | SERIGRAPh 1/250 BRITISh RAJ | 58” x 28.5” | SERIGRAPh 1/200

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In a tribute to ‘Rajasthan’, husain created a lively horizontal composition replete with the bright colours, music and dance of the state. Joy and festivity permeate this work as musicians and a dancer are surrounded by elephants, tigers and a peacock. Two guards on trotting horses guard the elegant domed entrance to the palace. husain captured a bygone era, without becoming nostalgic.

RAJASThAN | 27.5” x 19” | SERIGRAPh 1/300

RAjAStHAN SERIES

RAJASThAN | 33” x 23” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

Musician’ belongs to the early phase where husain was experimenting with abstraction. The original painting is dominated by variegated shades of red, orange, blue yellow and green. After studying the work, the form of the musician appears out of these swatches of colour, playing the sitar with a deep and contemplative visage.

ThE MuSICIAN | 31” X 36” | PRINT 1/300

MUSICIAN SERIES

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MOtHER AND DOVE MOtHER tERESASILVER MOtHER

MOtHER AND CHILD

image: Mother Teresa and sick child, undated photo, CNS

MOtHER tERESA SERIES

One of husain’s best known works is from his Mother Teresa series. The Albanian -born sister of charity, had a lasting impression on husain when he first met her in the 1980s. The artist recalled his first encounter with the Mother. “I sat there aghast looking at her and her frail body bent at the back. She was dressed in a coarse white cotton sari, worn in the Bengali style. her face, her wrinkled skin was illuminated by an inner light…”1

husain transformed this encounter into an iconography that he would repeat with several variations. his interpretation was a faceless woman, clad in a white sari with the iconic blue border. his muscular brush-strokes captured her bending over brown children, holding them in her lap, in a gesture that was caring and compassionate. In this series of serigraphs and prints, the vigor and energy of the original works are held intact.

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MOtHER AND DOVE displays husain’s penchant for creating dynamic compositions. The two sisters of charity are placed at the center of the composition; they are balanced by the two figures of a girl child and an infant running towards one of the sisters, while a celestial dove flutters above the lap of the other, symbolic of the holy Spirit and of peace. This is one of husain’s colourful serigraphs that capture the more joyous aspects of ‘motherhood’.

MOThER AND DOVE | 20” x 28.5” | PRINT 1/300

MOtHER tERESA is a linear composition where three sisters of charity face the viewer. A child holds one of the sisters for succor while an infant gambols on the shoulders of the other. The works are adeptly executed and bare a trademark of his involvement with the life of the proletariat.

MOThER TERESA | 27.5” x 40” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

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SILVER MOtHER is a serigraph of husain’s iconic blue painting of Mother Teresa.

In the background of this composition, is a young woman-child balancing a pot on her head.

In the fore-ground is the Mother, her compassionate presence indicated only by the folds of her white sari.

her body is dynamic and angled to echo the playful gestures of the infant in her lap.

SILVER MOTHER27.5” x 20”SILVEPRINT 1/200

MOtHER AND CHILD displays husain’s colourful palette alongside his painterly strokes. The work is subtly emblematic of the Indian Flag where the green and orange flank the Mother on either side.

The white of the Mother’s sari and the blue stripes become the chakra at the centre. husain had a strong commitment to the concept of the nation, which was both composite and modern.

This work captures that intention.

MOTHER AND CHILD27.5” x 19.5”PRINT 1/200

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OUR PLANEt CALLED EARtH SERIES

Maqbool Fida husain created the original paintings of this series in 2004, commissioned by businessman Guru Swarup. The artist announced that he would paint 100 paintings for Rs 100 crore; in other words each painting would cost Rs 1 crore.

The deal was publicized with much funfare and later was the cause of much talk about the buyer’s monetary assets not quite living up to the deal. A short stint in jail for fraud put paid to all Guru Swarup’s plan of being a patron of the arts.

however husain continued with the series irrespective, finding other ways to finance it. he was running 90 when he created this body of work, and his intention was to leave behind an epic legacy that touched all aspects of human life and world history while addressing the various textures of his identity. husain often emphasized that Indian art was undervalued.

To paraphrase what husain went on to say at the time: “Whether a man is an artist or a priest he cannot not live on fresh-air, monetary value for art is important. however it is not the primary concern behind art.” The very fact that husain created a portfolio of serigraphs of the very same series underlines his desire to share his work and not remain exclusive, precious or elite.

31.12.1899 tO 31.12.1999 : CENtURy OF CHANGE

tHE bEAUty OF ARAb WORLD

tHE PHENOMENON OF M K GANDHI

tHE SPACE REVOLUtION

NEW yORK

tRANSFORMAtION OF tHE ARAb WORLD, tURKEy AND CHINA

WEALtH OF tHE SEA

jOy OF NAtURE

HIS MAStER’S VOICE

CAFÉ PARIS

WORLD WAR II

SHEIKH MOHAMMED bIN RASHID AL MAKtOUM

FLOOD OF PRINtED WORDS

tHE 1917 REVOLUtION IN RUSSIA:tHEN tHE bREAK-UP OF USSR

CONSEQUENCE

bALANCE

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CENTuRY OF ChANGE | 40” x 22” each | SERIGRAPh (set of 7) 1/125

This ambitious and large serigraph is in seven parts dramaticly palys out the social and political changes in a century full of change. 99.9% of the worlds knowledges was required in this time frame. Colonies disappeared new colonization and Banana republics appeared. Traditional orders in society changed. Technology rule the world entwined in a new societies fabric. People could sit together, A painter and a traibal, the mighty Sheikh and the soldier, women both Indian and European, the hunter and the hunted. All unaware they were sitting on a plank held up by angels on one side and devils on the other. Which way would it tilt? towards unity and peace? or a society drunk with the taste of power? served by tailed waiters. The artists celebrates life and death, success and failures, leaving the result in the hands of time yet to come.

31.12.1899 tO 31.12.1999 : CENtURy OF CHANGE

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husain’s serigraph tHE bEAUty OF ARAb WORLD is a tribute to the Arab world is marked by the distinctive use of pure, bright colours. The angular strokes and sense of movement is also a trademark of husain’s style.

The camel for instance appears in motion, its body foreshortened to the point where only its front legs are visible, along with its long neck and emblematic head.

Painted bright blue the camel stands out against the bright yellow of the desert sand.

Balanced atop the camel is a veiled woman dancing, a date-palm tree and a flurry of Persian rugs completes the picture. It could be read as comment on husain’s ‘elusive but inescapable Muslim identity’.

THE bEAuTy Of ARAb WORLD40” x 26”SERIGRAPh 1/ 125

tHE PHENOMENON OF M K GANDHI: husain painted the icon of Mahatma Gandhi many times.

he was an avid supporter of the Gandhi family and the Congress, especially during the Emergency. he looked upon Gandhi in the same light that he did Mother Teresa.

In fact husain once gifted Bill Clinton a Gandhi painting. In this serigraph, husain has hidden the head of Gandhi behind that of a white dove, symbolizing peace. The angular body, iconic walking stick, watch and loincloth are all representative of the Mahatma, pointing towards his essence and simplicity. husain also indicates a following behind Gandhi and a tiny figure of a farmer, his pickaxe with his hand flanking Gandhi on the right. With these inclusions husain indicates Gandhi’s support for the working class and the harijans in India.

ThE PhENOMENON OF M K GANDhI | 40” x 26” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

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ThE SPACE REVOLuTION | 40” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1/ 125

tHE SPACE REVOLUtION: In this work one cannot overlook husain’s humorous intention in painting a Chaplinesque figure in the foreground.Presumably husain painted this inspired by Chaplin’s film “The Kid” since the little Tramp, with his cane, bowler hat, oversized pants and shoes, is accompanied by a small boy, presumably the notorious window breaker in the film.They both look on slightly surprised at a giant rocket taking off into space.

The skies are vividly coloured in hues of red, yellow and hints of blue. The work symbolizes not just progress but the contemplation of the proletariat.

NEW YORK40” x 26”SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

The painting NEW yORK captures a man in a trench court and hat, leaning against a lamp-post with a news paper, while a curious dog investigates the stranger.

husain in this painting taps into popular noir cinema that was filmed mostly around New York. A schematic representation of the Brooklyn Bridge further places his character who surveys the scene under the brim of his turned down hat.

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tRANSFORMAtION OF tHE ARAb WORLD, tURKEy AND CHINA: husain’s intention here is to capture a slice of history. he talks of modernization through the prism of gender. The women in the backdrop are the real indicators of change, for they are not clad in the veil but wear modern short dresses and hold purses indicating they charge of their lives with access to the outside world. The male protagonists in the foreground however appear decked out in military regalia or traditional garb. They could be seen as the perpetrators of ‘tradition’. The serigraph is layered in its meaning, while vivid colours of red, green and gold dominate the palette.

TRANSFORMATION OF ThE ARAB WORLD, TuRKEY AND ChINA40” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

WEALtH OF tHE SEA : In a tribute to the brisk trade and commercial wealth of the Middle East, husain creates ‘Wealth of the Sea’.

An Arab awaits the arrival of a trade ship, floating on the azure sea. he stands on bright yellow sand, under a palm tree with his two camels, one of which has a bright blue carpet draped over its hump, with an image of Mecca embroidered onto it.

husain takes the key symbols of the Arab world and places them together in his brilliantly coloured tableaux.

WEALTh OF ThE SEA | 40” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

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jOy OF NAtURE: Creating an idyllic Eden, husain paints a composition abounding with life and fecundity.

Two white horses canter out of a dense forest to take a drink of water at a blue oasis, replete with herons and jumping fish.

The work is peaceful and joyous, celebrating the simple balance of life in nature and the harmonious existence of all beings.

The serigraph captures the bright colours and sure lines in vivid detail.

JOY OF NATuRE | 40” X 30” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125 hIS MASTERS VOICE | 40” x 31” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

In this tribute to the music business giant HIS MAStER’S VOICE, (hMV), husain has painted the famous logo of the old gramophone record player and a fox terrier.

It is said that the terrier belonged to the English artist Francis Barraud who first created the trademark image. In his version husian introduces a new element into the logo: instead of facing into the horn of the gramophone the dog looks away at the figure of a happy dancing girl, rendered in bright blue, her skirts swirling her pigtails in motion and her body angled in dance-like movement. By adding this extra element, husain creates an Indianism that localizes his tribute making it part of his own history.

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CAFÉ PARIS: This serigraph is one of the more famous of this series, for when husain launched his ‘Our Planet called Earth’ portfolio it received a lot of media attention.This is perhaps because the work, that recalls World War II, is politically loaded.

The serigraph, dominated by military colours of green and ocher, captures two soldiers raising a toast to a war plane flying overhead. It may be read as a celebratory work that cheers on the French, who joined the Second World War as the Third Republic. Their head quarters were established in Paris then Bordeaux.

CAfÉ PARIS40” x 26”SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

In continuation with the WORLD WAR II Theme, husain created a more explicit narrative of the War, which affected both India and Britain, since India was still colonized by the British. In 1939 the Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow, announced that India had declared war, even though the Indian assembly had not been consulted.

husain captures this effectively for he uses the metaphor of chess to do so. Britain and uncle Sam, with his monocle and pipe, is seen playing chess with Stalin. The chess pieces are the hapless Indian’s who seem to be falling off the chess board, caught in the crossfire. This very evocative serigraph has been rendered in red, white and various shades of black and gray.

WORLD WAR II | 40” x 36” | SERIGRAPh 1/125

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SHEIKH MOHAMMED bIN RASHID AL MAKtOUM: husain, in this rather flattering portrait of a descendent of the ruling family of Dubai, pays homage to Sheik Mohammed, who is captured heroically mounted on a gallant whit steed.

This is perhaps one of husain’s most realistic depictions of a subject and he has taken no liberties to make it allegorical or iconic. The Sheikh is an important figure in international circles of Thoroughbred horse Racing and breeding and is the owner of the Darley Stud. It is perhaps fitting that he be pictured on a fine white steed cantering over the sand dunes.

ShEIKh MOhAMMED | 40” x 30” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

FLOOD OF PRINtED WORDS: In a covert tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, husain paints the artist’s chair and boots, a painting that was much celebrated by the art-going public, long after Van Gogh’s death.

however husain claims the meisenscene as his by inserting his own props. A gun and helmet, typical of the Indian soldier and a stack of books bearing words like ‘Jung’ (War) and Das Kaptial, (Authored by hitler) help place the work along with other paintings of the World-War II. The colours are once again of a military nature, greens and grays with a vibrant blue and red for the chair.

FLOOD OF PRINTED WORDS | 40” x 31” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

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40” x 17”40” x 30”

SERIGRAPh (DIPTYCh) 1 / 125

tHE 1917 REVOLUtION IN RUSSIA:tHEN tHE bREAK-UP OF USSR

In this work, husain telescopes two important historical events into one paint-ing. The rise of the Bolsheviks in 1917, and the partition of the united Soviet Socialist Republic of Russia in 1991; for this he has created a diptych.

The first half captures the fall of the Czar (indicated by a crowned lion bat-tling a canon manned by Bolshevik soldiers), as Mother Russia (depicted as a female nude) upholds a red flag. In the second half a loan soldier carrying the very same flag, stumbles between lines of red and blue that speak of the dissolution of the Soviet union. The work is full of drama and is effectively evocative of the time.

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CONSEQUENCE: This rather abstract work captures the harsher side of the war, starving children and the homeless elderly. In the composition, a bright yellow, thin limbed child is eclipsed by a black sun, while a prone figure to the left is made more tragic by the empty begging bowl.

The use of shadows and dark lines accentuates the bleakness of the situation.

CONSEQuENCE | 40” x 26” | SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

bALANCE40” x 17”SERIGRAPh 1 / 125

bALANCE: A humorous work it speaks about the balance between peace and vice, Eros and Mars in the human psyche. The palette is subdued and consists of pale ocher, white and tertiary browns.

husain has painted a rather comic looking man, doing an acrobatic split. he seems urbane for he is dressed in a tie, shirt and trousers but his expression is rather bewildered as he looks at a white dove perched on his finger. his upraised leg balances a bottle, presumably of alcohol. The work is a fine allegory of the various forces that pull mankind in opposing directions.

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GANESHA: In this print husain pictures Ganesha as a celestial musician, playfully balancing an orb that could be the sun or the moon, on the palm of his hand. Ganesha sits with his legs casually crossed in a white Dhoti before a vibrant sky that displays shades of red, yellow and blue, the three primary colours. Ganesha here represents the ego-bound Jiva and the overcoming of it to embrace a universal ego. According to hindu mythology Ganesha is given dominion over the Ganas, which is a general term denoting all classes of beings, ranging from insects, animals and humans to the subtle and celestial beings. In this instance husain captures the celestial in form of an orb and Ganesha good-naturedly presides over it.

GANESHA27.5” x 19”PRINT 1/200

GANESHA

MECCA & CAMEL

MADHURI DANCING

DURGA

DANCING WOMEN

WOMEN & HORSE

CAFE DEUx

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Emulating poster art, husain’s ‘Mecca and Camel’, creates a montage of symbolic of the Islamic faith. The Kaba takes centre stage while the desert, palm trees and the camels locate it firmly in Mecca. Bright colours and the Kufic script characterize this work.

MECCA & CAMEL | 18” x 26” | PRINT 1/250

MECCA & CAMEL

DANCING MADhuRI | 25.5” x 19.75” | SERIGRAPh 1/250

husain’s Dancing Madhuri or tribute to the nach girl, recalls the artist’s strong connections to film as a billboard artist in his early days and later his fascination for the actress Madhuri Dixit.

While husain reiterated that cinema is the only reality, his work always has a timeless quality to it.

This nach belongs to a bygone era or could be a filmic representation of his favorite actress.

DANCING MADHURI

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husain captures Durga sitting atop her vahana a two-headed roaring tiger.

The work dominated by ochre, browns and blues, is a simple and lyrical composition.

husain refrained from painting Durga with multiple arms ornaments and weapons, but keeps her accessories minimal, celebrating her slender form and her elegant posture.

She holds a Trishul in her hand and performs the Abhaya Mudra of protection.

DuRGA | 28” x 23” | PRINT 1/300

DURGA

husain’s ‘untitled’ painting of dancing women is a tribute to the female form and its lyricism. The work combines the earthy brown palette with vibrant blues. At the centre of the composition, is a female drummer, a rarity since most drummers are male; on her right and left are a dancer and a tanpura player. Each figure emulates the Tribhanga pose capturing the dynamism of the dancer and musician.

DANCING WOMEN | 24” x 24” | PRINT 1/300

DANCING WOMEN

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WOMAN & hORSE | 27” x 19” | PRINT 1/300

This serigraph unties the two cardinal energies that often drove husain to paint: That of the female muse and of the virile male, which is indicated by the horse. We see the woman, dancer-like in a dramatic pose throwing herself into the flanks of the charging white stallion. her gesture is one of surrender tinged with love and trust.

her oval face, dotted only by a bindi and no particular features indicate that she is a generic woman, though her energy, balanced by that of the horse is almost goddess-like. The serigraph is characterized by a simple but vibrant palette dominated by red and blue and lifted by yellow and white. The work is characterized by the unity of the male and female energy.

WOMEN & HORSE

Chester and David herwitz were one of husain’s most important patrons and their collection reflects how prominent artists of post-Independence

India conveys inspiring moods and emotions (rasa) characteristic of Indian aesthetics. The original untitled (Café Deux) belonged to the herwitz collection.

It is one of husain’s important works, for not only is it a compelling portrait of the artist, it also delineates his ongoing fascination with China.

CAFÉ DEuX | 27” x 19” | PRINT 1/250

CAFÉ DEUx

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MAqbOOL fIDA HuSAIN LIfE & TIMES

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MAQbOOL FIDA HUSAIN:LIFE & tIMESBorn : September 17, 1915 at Pandharpur, Bombay

Died : June 9, 2011

Career : Painter, Writer, Actor, Film maker

Blessed with one of the best gifts of God - Art, husain knew exactly how to make paintings speak for themselves. Over his tenure as a painter, he is claimed to have painted about 60,000 paintings in topics as diverse as Mohandas K. Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the British Raj, and motifs of Indian urban and rural life. Maqbool Fida husain, popularly known as MF husain, was, indeed, one of the prominent figures that India ever gave birth to.

Known for his vigorous appreciation of God’s creations, particularly humans, he went on to create some masterpieces, to be remembered for lifetime. Such was his scrutiny that he could portray circumstances and situations even with a pencil sketch. he is considered to be one such individual who blended ethnic and mythological themes to come up with luminous and incredible art forms.

Early Life

Born in 1915, MF husain came from a traditional Muslim background. he was born in Pandharpur, Bombay Presidency in British India. his mother, Zunaib died when he was one and a half years old. Thereafter, his father, Fida remarried a girl named Shireen and shifted to Indore. husain was extremely close to his grandfather, from whom he drew his major inspiration. unfortunately, his grandfather could not accompany him for long as he passed away when husain was just 6. husain’s formal education began at Sidhpur in Gujarat where he underwent 2 years of rigorous training in Indian religions. From here, he was transferred to an Islamic boarding school, Darul Talaba in Baroda. however, owing to his miserable performance, his father apprenticed him to a tailor and later to a draughtsman, hoping that he would pick up a profession. Interestingly, his father

was very supportive towards his love for art. Seeing his possession and passion for art, he even gifted him an Agfa box camera. When husain was just 16, his father rented a room in the neighboring house where husain could paint in complete privacy. he gained interest in English literature, courtesy his neighbor, Yavar, from where he started reading Shakespeare, John Ruskin, and books on British painters.

Early Career Life

In 1935, husain moved to Mumbai for the first time at the age of 20 and took admission in J.J. School of Arts. he earned his living by painting cinema hoardings and whenever he managed to save some money, he used to travel to Baroda, Surat, and Ahmedabad to paint landscapes. Since painting hoardings did not give him much of an earning, he tried his luck in other jobs. Amongst them, working at the toy factory proved to be the best paying job, where he was engaged in designing and building fretwork toys. After struggling and experiencing hardships for years in Mumbai, husain finally received recognition in the late 1940s. Though in 1944, he received an offer from Fantasy for designing children’s furniture and later in 1947 from Kamdars, a famous design company, his initial love remained painting.

Career as a Painter

In 1947, husain’s painting ‘Sunhera Sansaar’ was exhibited at Bombay Art Society for the first time. The same year saw India’s independence, after which, he decided to stay back in India. Soon after, Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG) was formed by the artist Francis Newton Souza. husain was amongst the early members and became the secretary of the group in 1949. This was just the first step towards the historic success that husain went on to make later on. his first solo exhibition was held in Zurich in

1952, followed by a series of successful exhibitions across Europe and uS. In 1971, he was sent a special invitation along with the legendary Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paulo Biennial. he was nominated at the Rajya Sabha for a term in 1986.

Career as a Filmmaker & Actor

Besides earning the title of the most eminent and highest paid Indian painter, husain also tried his hand at film direction. his first film ‘Through the Eyes of a Painter’ produced in 1967 was victorious in bagging the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. husain was so obsessed with the stunning Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit that he considered her as his muse. he even went ahead to make a film with her, titled ‘Gaja Gamini’ in 2000. Besides, Dixit remained the subject of his numerous paintings, which he titled ‘Fida’. Apart from Dixit, husain also made a film titled ‘Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities’ with Tabu, another Bollywood artiste, in 2004. Amrita Rao and Anushka Sharma are couple of other Bollywood actress who had cast a charm on husain.

Controversies

husain was not just renowned for his exemplary paintings and portrayal of human figures, but he was also the center of controversies. his nude portraits of hindu gods and goddesses or in an allegedly sexual manner captured a lot of eyeballs but all for the wrong reasons. Although the paintings were created in 1970, they did not become an issue till 1996, until they were published in a hindi monthly magazine, Vichar Mimansa. The very instant response resulted in eight criminal complaints against husain on the pretext of promoting enmity between hindu goddesses, Durga and Saraswati, which was dismissed by Delhi high Court. Later in 1998, hindu groups, like Bajrang Dal attacked his house and destroyed his paintings.

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The extent of the protests was such intense that his exhibition due in London was called off. In 2004, after the release of his film ‘Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities’ starring Tabu, he was objected by some Muslim organizations for using words directly from the holy Quran in the Qawwali song ‘Noor-un-Ala-Noor’. As a result, the movie was removed from cinema halls, just a day after its release. The complaint, lodged by the All-India ulema Council, was supported by other Muslim organizations, such as the Milli Council, All-India Muslim Council, Raza Academy, Jamiat-ul-ulema-e-hind, and Jamat-e-Islami.

Yet again in February 2006, husain again became the talk of the town when he again painted Bharatmata (Mother India) as a nude woman across the map of India with different Indian state names on various parts of the body. This nude portrayal was highly objected by hindu Jagriti Samiti and Vishva hindu Parishad, which resulted in the issue of a non-bailable warrant. Although husain apologized and withdrew the painting from the auction, the painting was published on his official website. he left India in 2006 and went on a self-imposed exile, settling in Dubai. Later in 2010, he was offered the citizenship of Qatar, which he readily agreed. Thereafter, he had divided his time between homes in Qatar and London.

Awards & Recognition

husain had been honored with India’s three most prestigious civilian awards, Padma Shree in 1955, Padma Bhushan in 1973, and Padma Vibhushan in 1991, for his distinguished contribution in the field of art. his ‘Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12’ successfully fetched $ 1.6 million in 2008, a world record at Christie’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art sale.

The same year, he was presented with the esteemed

Raja Ravi Varma award by the Government of Kerala. he was also fortunate enough to have his name included in the list of ‘500 Most Influential Muslims in the World’, released by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, Amman, Jordan.

Personal Life

husain married Mehmoodabibi’s daughter, Fazila on March 11th, 1941 in the presence of his father and some close friends. his wife was a constant support and inspiration who encouraged him to be firm in his beliefs.

Death

unwell for over a month, husain died of a heart attack in London. he breathed his last at the Royal Brompton hospital on June 9, 2011; thus, bringing an end to the tenure of a genius and Picasso of India. his body was kept at Idara-e-Jaaferiya, a funeral parlor at Tooting, to let the public pay their homage to the legendary painter. he was buried on June 10, 2011 at the Brookwood Cemetery at Woking in Surrey, at the city’s outskirts.

timeline

1915 : Born in Pandharpur, Bombay Presidency, British India

1935 : Came to Bombay and joined JJ School of Arts

1941 : Married Fazila on March 11

1947 : Sunhera Sansaar’ exhibited at Bombay Art Society for the first time

1947 : Joined Progressive Arts’ Group (PAG)

1949 : Became secretary of PAG

1952 : First solo exhibition held in Zurich

1955 : honored with Padma Shree Award

1967 : First film ‘Through the Eyes of a Painter’ won a Golden Bear

1971 : Invited at the Sao Paulo Biennial, along with Pablo Picasso

1973 : Awarded the Padma Bhushan

1986 : Nominated to the Rajya Sabha

1991 : Bestowed with Padma Vibhushan

1996 : Accused of portraying hindu deities nude in allegedly sexual manner

2000 : ‘Gaja Gamini’, featuring his muse Madhuri Dixit, was released

2004 : ‘Meenaxi: A City of Three Cities’ was released

2006 : Charged with depicting Mother India as a nude woman

2006 : Went on a self-imposed exile to Dubai

2008 : ‘Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12’ successfully fetched $ 1.6 million

2008 : Conferred upon with Raja Ravi Varma Award by the Government of Kerala

2010 : Accepted Qatar citizenship

2011 : Died on June 9 due to a heart attack in London, England

2011 : Buried at Brookwood Cemetery, Woking in Surrey

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