MADAN MAHATTA | Models I

Photoink, New Delhi Private Collection, New Delhi

Acquired form the above by the current owner circa 2014

There is some undulation of surface in some of the prints. The prints have not been inspected outside of their frames. The prints are in very good overall condition as viewed.
"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."

Madan Mahatta trained in the UK at the Guildford School of Arts and Crafts before returning to India in 1954 to work at the family-owned studio Mahatta & Co in Delhi. His 'Delhi Architecture Series' (1950s-80s) is a document of the ideology and building of the Indian nation-state. Mahatta began his practice at a time when India was striving for a new identity following Independence. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had a modernist vision for the country, that was manifested in the Nehruvian Nation Building project which saw urbanisation projects such as the creation of New Delhi. Mahatta photographed the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, the Hindustan Times Building and the Syrian Orthodox Church to name but a few. As well as the actual buildings he photographed the maquettes of early proposals in his studio, which the current lot is an example. The architects that Nehru commissioned to implement his modernist vision included J.K. Chowdhury, Charles Correa, Achyut Kanvinde, B.E. Doctor, Habib Rahman and Kuldip Singh. Some of these architects were sent by the state to to MIT and Harvard to study, under the tutelage of Walter Gropius, which resulted in a 'Bauhaus' aspect to many of their designs. Mahatta used flat even light to photograph his subjects, often waiting for the sun's glare to drop so as to create the best frame. His photographs show an awareness of texture and light, that emphasised the concrete and decoration visible on the facades of the buildings.