Sadequain

Acquired from the artist by Mr. Abu Shamim Arif

Thence by descent

Acquired from the above

A. Akhund, F. Said and Z. Yusuf eds., Sadequain: The Holy Sinner, Hamdad Press, Karachi, 2003, p. 388-389 illus.

There is minor wear and abrasions along the edges of the work due to earlier framing. There are small losses to the paper, particularly in the upper left corner and upper centre. There is minor discolouration and staining to the work. This painting has been recently cleaned and the few spots of loss have been consolidated. As viewed.
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A recipient of the prestigious Laureate Biennale de Paris, Sadequain is one of Pakistan’s most famous artists. Entirely self-taught, his illustrious three decade career produced some of the most intricate and visually stunning works on the market today. Lauded for his calligraphic and abstracted figurative forms, his method is distinct from his other contemporaries and unrivalled in the field of Modernism.

Sadequain distorted his figures in an innovative and creative way. Choosing not to go down the mimetic route, he would create rather than copy. Inspired by the great Renaissance artists, he was especially fascinated by El Greco’s elongated and skeletal figures. Even before he moved to Europe, he followed the various Modernist movements and often integrated his favourite aspects of these works into his art. Often grotesque and surreal in nature, his abstracted figures are often lengthened to a point where they lose all notions of shape and look inanimate. The sombre palette of colours that was often the artist's preference, further adds to this conception and is present in this painting which was produced in 1985 and is illustrated in the monumental tome, Sadequain: The Holy Sinner.

Although many of his paintings are considered to be claustrophobic, with every available surface packed with lines and forms, in this work from the Kuliyaat-e-Faiz series, the paint covers the canvas with a clever composition and prudent use of space. The crucifixion of Christ is depicted multiple times, cleverly occupying the spaces under each Christ figure's outstretched arms. Utilizing elements of his signature cross-hatching technique along with his penchant for cactus shaped limbs and figures, this painting is a harmonious composition featuring Sadequain's skill as a painter and a draughtsmen.