Maqbool Fida Husain

Private European Collection

London, Asia House, M. F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s - 70s, 10 May - 5 August 2006

Providence, Brown University, M. F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s - 70s, 5 February - 26 March 2010

M. F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s - 70s, Asia House, London, 2006, no. 12 illus.

M. F. Husain: Early Masterpieces 1950s - 70s, Brown University, Providence, 2010, unpaginated, illus.

There is minor craquelure in the blue paint in the middle and along the lower edge of the canvas. This work is in good condition overall.
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.

Red Landscape belongs to a small group of abstract landscapes that were all painted in 1964. Other paintings from the group include Black Hill, Chittore Fort and Red Desert, all inspired by Husain's frequent trips to Rajasthan during the early 1960s.

In 1959, Husain was given a Rockefeller scholarship to study in New York. He was exposed to the works of Abstract Expressionists such as Mark Rothko. Red Landscape is clearly influenced by Rothko's use of colour and composition. The field is divided into horizontal sections of flat colour surrounded by a bare canvas border. The palette successfully combines elements of Rothko's colour techniques with that of the Indian miniature painting tradition. The Rajput miniatures that so greatly influenced Raza have also inspired Husain in this painting.

Colour in general was an important factor in Husain's paintings. As the artist stated "Color is a very significant element in Indian painting... color is not light but a symbol of certain emotions... a certain mood... if you find a piece of stone and you apply orange color onto it you don't have to make an eye and nose... the villager will think it is the god Hanuman... the combination of colors is so rich here because it goes with nature... the bright sunlight and brilliant landscape and sky." (M.F. Husain, quoted in "Introduction" (by Chester Herwitz) to Passage Into Human Space, p. IV).

Red Landscape is a rare example of Husain's brief experimentation into abstraction, as Husain saw himself as primarily a figurative painter. 'Wherever he turns he encounters a human being he cannot ignore.' (Geeta Kapur, Contemporary Indian Artists, New Delhi 1978, p. 134).