Raqib Shaw

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner in 2001

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is softer in the original, with the blue of the background tending more to metallic turquoise. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There is some very light wear to the upper right corner tip of the composition and also 10cm. below this on the extreme right edge. Upon close inspection under raking light, several hairline white lines are visible to the the lower right quadrant. There is a minute 1mm rub mark to the lower left of this on the bottom edge. There are some small air bubbles in places throughout the thicker areas of paint, which are inherent to the artist's working process. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultraviolet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Chrysanthemum & Bee (after Kotsushika Hokusai) encapsulates the multiple layers, in terms of both style and subject matter, that typify the work of Raqib Shaw. Born and raised in Kashmir, India and educated in London at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, the artist's output can be defined as occupying a space between two artistic traditions, achieving an aesthetic symbiosis of these ostensibly distinct source cultures. Taking inspiration from the work of great Japanese painter and printmaker Kotsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), Raqib Shaw applies a vibrant Kashmiri palette to the Japanese organic source motif, transforming the subdued, delicate hues of the original print into an explosion of iridescent colours, with a rich gold border fighting to provide containment. Motion in an otherwise static image comes from the bee that is, like the eye of the viewer, drawn to the flower. Shaw's treatment of the Chrysanthemum flower, considered in the Western world to be a symbol of death and mourning, is a masterstroke in the inverting of preconceived notions. The vibrancy employed in the flower's depiction serves to disabuse Western viewers of any morbid associations, instead causing them to adopt and embrace the traditional Japanese interpretation of the flower as a symbol of regeneration.