- 2
Maqbool Fida Husain
Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 USD
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Description
- Maqbool Fida Husain
- Woman with Spider
- Signed in Devanagari and Urdu and dated ''72 upper right, and further signed, dated and inscribed 'M. F. Husain/ 1972/ J.20, JUNGPURA EXTN/ NEW DELHI/ INDIA/ "WOMAN WITH SPIDER"/ 51" x 51"' on reverse
- Oil on canvas
- 51 1/8 by 51 1/8 in. (130 by 129.8 cm.)
Provenance
Chester and Davida Herwitz Family Collection
Exhibited
London, Asia House, M. F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s - 70s, 10 May - 5 August 2006
Literature
ART India Magazine, Volume XI, Issue III, Qtr III, 2006, p. 86 illus.
M. F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s - 70s, Asia House, London, 2006, no. 16 illus.
Condition
Good overall condition. Faint varnish drips below the hand in the lower right quadrant. Raised horizontal thread in center of canvas. Slight lifting of paint along upper left and lower left edges.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Husain has used the image of the spider in his most celebrated works including the iconic masterpiece, Between the Spider and the Lamp, painted in 1956. The spider references a story of the Prophet that Husain heard as a child. The Prophet was hiding from his enemies in a cave, but when they tried to enter, all they could see was a web that the spider had quickly woven. Assuming that no one could have entered the cave without disturbing the web, they turned away and the Prophet's life was saved. For this reason the spider in Islam is a symbol of protection.
Although Woman with Spider was painted some fifteen years later, Husain has rendered the woman's hand and spider in a similar manner as in Between the Spider and the Lamp. In both paintings, the large stylised hand of the woman suspends the spider from its web like a yo-yo. In this painting the woman is seated against a tree, she is of the village, earthy and wise, her large feet and hands indicative of her strength. Like the spider, she represents protection; a possible reference to the absence of a mother figure in Husain's childhood.