Untitled (Kashmiri Houseboat)

Kashmiri Houseboat, a tightly packed mass of architectural forms, etched out of the impasto background by Kumars assured line, hugs an almost indiscernible river bank. The tall mast like forms in the center of the composition suggest a houseboat settled upon the water. Like the austere grey sky above this calm yet seemingly uninhabitable scene, the river before it is gray and unwelcoming. This elegant and contemplative landscape shrouded in mist, compares with many of Ram Kumars early paintings inspired by Benares. See lot 239 for a full discussion of Ram Kumars Benares paintings.