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Lot Essay
One of Pakistan's most celebrated artists, Sadequain came from a family of calligraphers. Describing himself primarily as a figurative painter who infused his works with allegorical significance, Sadequain was considered the epitome of the Romantic bohemian. Well versed in the Indo-Persian literature of Ghalib, Faiz and Iqbal along with the syncretic histories of Hellenistic Greece, Rome and Pakistan the artist often included mythology and poetry in his paintings.
In 1981, Sadequain was invited to create a mural for the Bharat Kala Bhavan at the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India. Living in a local guesthouse for months, the artist found himself longing for home cooked food. It was during this time that he also came into the acquaintance of a young artist who greatly admired and respected his work and who would often explore the local temples, Ghats and museums with him. On hearing of his yearning to eat a home cooked meal, this young artist offered to bring a daily 'tiffin' for him. In the months that followed, Sadequain formed a close friendship with the artist and referred to her as his 'spiritual daughter'. He gifted this painting to her before leaving Varanasi in 1982.
In this painting, Sadequain utilizes an idiosyncratic version of the Muslim tughra or calligraphic signature, together with his interpretation of the European avant-garde art. Rendered in his distinct narrative style, the painting refers to the Greek goddesses of beauty, mirth and elegance. While typical of his style, this painting carries a highly personalized story. The three goddesses emerge intertwined from the cooking pot, symbolic of his friend who cooked for him every day. Vegetables are strung between their hands as they carry forth a large platter of food over their heads. Cooking utensils are shown strewn on the floor, depicting the interior of a typical South Asian kitchen. There is a sense of movement in the canvas as the artist's line derives from his calligraphic roots as well as his interest in Cubism, Surrealism and Constructivism.
Interestingly, works by the artist from the early 80s are reminiscent of his most critically acclaimed phase; the Blue and Ochre Period of the 50s and 60s. Sadequain often undertook several large scale public works throughout his career most notably, the murals in the Lahore Museum.
In 1981, Sadequain was invited to create a mural for the Bharat Kala Bhavan at the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India. Living in a local guesthouse for months, the artist found himself longing for home cooked food. It was during this time that he also came into the acquaintance of a young artist who greatly admired and respected his work and who would often explore the local temples, Ghats and museums with him. On hearing of his yearning to eat a home cooked meal, this young artist offered to bring a daily 'tiffin' for him. In the months that followed, Sadequain formed a close friendship with the artist and referred to her as his 'spiritual daughter'. He gifted this painting to her before leaving Varanasi in 1982.
In this painting, Sadequain utilizes an idiosyncratic version of the Muslim tughra or calligraphic signature, together with his interpretation of the European avant-garde art. Rendered in his distinct narrative style, the painting refers to the Greek goddesses of beauty, mirth and elegance. While typical of his style, this painting carries a highly personalized story. The three goddesses emerge intertwined from the cooking pot, symbolic of his friend who cooked for him every day. Vegetables are strung between their hands as they carry forth a large platter of food over their heads. Cooking utensils are shown strewn on the floor, depicting the interior of a typical South Asian kitchen. There is a sense of movement in the canvas as the artist's line derives from his calligraphic roots as well as his interest in Cubism, Surrealism and Constructivism.
Interestingly, works by the artist from the early 80s are reminiscent of his most critically acclaimed phase; the Blue and Ochre Period of the 50s and 60s. Sadequain often undertook several large scale public works throughout his career most notably, the murals in the Lahore Museum.