Woman with a Horse

Universally acclaimed as one of India's modern masters, Maqbool Fida Husain is unique in the breadth of his artistic vision and his sophisticated re-contextualisation of European Modernism. From his humble beginnings as a billboard painter, Husain successfully transcended the critical constraints of regional aesthetics and public opinion. Every single work by Husain is a paean to the Modernist idea that an artist is a visionary engaging in an act of metaphysical creation.
In the present lot, Husain depicts a horse accompanied by a female figure, a popular juxtaposition in the artist's oeuvre. The horse is powerful and valiant matching the figure it is paired with, entwined almost as one. This painting is a rare example of Husain utilising chiaroscuro in place of his typical use of vibrant colours. His rejection of colour emphasises the stark contrast between the patches of white and the strong lines that make up the composition. With sparse detailing in the background the anonymous setting allows the painting to transcend time and space imparting it with a dreamlike quality.