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Lot Essay
One of Pakistan's best known and most prolific painters, Sadequain came from a family of calligraphers. Living primarily in Paris from 1960 to 1967 he received an award from the Biennale de Paris in 1961, while he regularly visited Pakistan to exhibit his work. Line of Figures sees him utilising an idiosyncratic version of the Muslim 'tugra' or unique calligraphic signature, intertwined with his interpretation of European avant-garde art. It has been suggested that he was most obviously influenced by Cubism and Constructivism and here as in other works of the period, the artist's line derives as much from this in combination with his own traditions, as from the vitality of nature. There is a sense of flexibility and movement following a strong horizontal axis, yet in its calligraphic roots there is a readable and layered organization of form to this work. Upon closer inspection, the figures are more easily decipherable in the foreground and take on an abstracted, skeletal form. They appear to stand in front of a line of vegetation of similar hue, and spatial layers are indicated in this way.
Throughout his career the artist undertook several large scale public works, most notably the murals in the Lahore Museum. As historically documented, the interest in such art forms reached its peak in the mid-seventies when a calligraphy competition was organised in conjunction with the Islamic Summit of 1974 in Lahore, to which Sadequain contributed a painting.
Throughout his career the artist undertook several large scale public works, most notably the murals in the Lahore Museum. As historically documented, the interest in such art forms reached its peak in the mid-seventies when a calligraphy competition was organised in conjunction with the Islamic Summit of 1974 in Lahore, to which Sadequain contributed a painting.