Sadanand K. Bakre (1920-2007)

Acquired from a private collector, New Delhi, July 2009

Very good overall condition as viewed. Very minor pigment loss to lighter pigment at house in upper right edge. Dark areas along bottom edge are visible in the catalog illustration and are probably inherent. Frame: Minor scuff to frame at left edge, center.
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.

One of the founding members of the Progressive Artists’ Group, Baroda-born Sadanand Bakre spent his early years in the studio of sculptor Phadke, constantly fashioning figurines with leftover clay. When Bakre joined the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai at the age of 19, art critic Rudi von Leyden introduced him to European and American Modernism. The artist turned to sculpture for practicable reasons, as painting materials were too expensive, and it was only when he moved to England that he began expanding his possibilities and used paint as a medium of artistic expression. There he became a member of the New Vision Group, a gathering of non-figurative and abstract artists. Though trained in and capable of accomplishing realistic works, Bakre found imitating subject matter from reality inconsequential. The 1960s, when this work was painted, was his most significant period as his paintings began revealing consanguinity with sculpture. This was also a busy time in the artist’s career, when he was assiduously exhibiting at galleries in London, Paris, Switzerland and the USA.

This painting represents visions of a village in the distance, overseen by a leafless tree at center. His sculptural tendencies are exposed in the three-dimensional treatment of the structures, which he has rendered with a still-life quality. He uses reflective light and fragmented gradations to make houses appear tangible and miniscule. The bold geometric lines ensconce cubist shapes, imbued with a chosen palette of warm, solid, and pure tones which transfuse an aura of heat. The lower half of the painting is bereft, creating a sense of displacement and disorientation. The viewer lives in the realm of negative space, with the village receding to a distance. The space is conceivably a fence, or something proximate that serves as a boundary, blocking the beholder from sharing the space of the landscape. This work arouses the elusive and the transient nostalgia of home.