Satyendranath Banerjee

The current lot is a masterful example of the Bengal School of Art, a movement characterised by its depictions of the culture and history of India, and sensitive handling of colours and pigment. Born as an avant garde movement that refocused the country's attention on Indian ideas and subjects, Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951), nephew of Rabindranath Tagore, led this nationalist style of painting, which was primarily developed at Santiniketan.

Sad Moments depicts a young woman, deep in thought, and perfectly illuminated by candlelight. The work is a masterful example of the light and shadow that can be achieved in watercolour, and the expertise with this medium that epitomized Bengal School artists. Wrapped in a white sari with blue lining, the figure's hair falls forward to frame her face as she looks down towards a wooden chest. An open basket reveals a doll resting amongst white linens, perhaps wrapped as a gift. Strikingly similar to the form of a Matryoshka doll, Sad Moments alludes to a cosmopolitan lifestyle and the international influences that were becoming increasingly apparent by the first quarter of the twentieth century. A painting of elegance and refinement, the current lot is an intimate portrayal of a moment of reflection.