Untitled

"He captures in their postures and lineaments their distinctive ethos and culture -- the Maharashtrian woman as distinguished from her sister in Kerala, the Rajasthani herdsmen from the Andhra peasant. Not by physiognomy or costume alone are they differentiated, but in their total bearing and presence." (E. Alkazi, M.F. Husain: The Modern Artist and Tradition, New Delhi, 1978, p. 22)

Renowned for his prolific career, celebrated artist Maqbool Fida Husain's works recurrently examine and remix various elements that inspired him throughout his lifetime travels and experiences. In this painting, Husain paints an idealized village life as a result of his tour throughout India in the late 1960s. Showing his admiration for women as the foundation of society who predominate village and home affairs, here Husain depicts a group of seated women, their featureless faces rendering them universally relatable. Husain's luminous palette and skillful economy of line and form, coupled with his energetic impasto brush strokes create an almost intimate tender moment between these unknown village women as they sit around the warm yellow-orange glow of a lamp. Different in style and color choice than most of his works, this composition captures Husain's capacity to be influenced and incorporate the cultural characteristics of the different regions he visited. By incorporating local traditions, Husain manages to make his works immediately accessible while retaining a mysterious and layered quality, the combination of clothed and unclothed women instilling an underlying respect and understanding of the sensuality of the female form.