Page 126 - Dimensions Defined

Lot No. 104
K H ARA
1914-1985

UNTITLED
39 x 39 in (99 x 99 cm)
Oil on canvas
Circa 1940
Signed: Bottom Left
` 30,00,000 - 40,00,000 | $ 36,585 - 48,780

Provenance: Property from a collection based in Mumbai.

The presented lot by revered Indian
modernist K H Ara stands as a remarkable
departure from his renowned works in
nudes and still life. A testament to the
artist’s versatility, this rare work is an oil
on canvas creation from circa 1940s and
showcases a distinct departure from
Ara’s preferred styles. The stunning
work was executed with thick impasto
swaths in shades of brown, yellow,
and ochre, inviting the viewers into a
captivating visual realm. Ara strategically interpretation of the female nude
places a group of marching figures at and still-life. He was also one of the
the painting’s centre, executed with founding members of the revolutionary
bold brushstrokes of black, drawing the Bombay Progressive Artists Group
observer’s gaze and creating a focal alongside F.N. Souza and S.H. Raza.
point amidst the rich tapestry of colours. Born in 1914, the artist came from very
The juxtaposition of the textured impasto humble antecedents and battled many
and the dynamic figures imparts a sense struggles in his early life. Ara ran away to
of movement and energy, capturing a Bombay, where he started working as a
moment frozen in time. This work not only domestic help at an English household.
reveals Ara’s mastery in experimenting Many years later, he found employment
with styles but also highlights his ability as a car cleaner with a Japanese firm,
to convey a narrative through diverse which also offered him accommodation
artistic expressions, transcending the in a tiny room in Walkeshwar, Bombay.
boundaries of his more familiar genres.
He conducted his first solo exhibition at
Recognised as one of the most senior the Chetana Restaurant in Mumbai, in
names in Modern Indian Art. Krishnaji 1942; his works were indulged in several
Howlaji Ara was an exceptional talent groups and solo exhibitions with the
whose artistic brilliance was a result of Progressive Artists Group between 1948-
sheer passion, hard work and dedication. 55 in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Baroda, and
One of his biggest contributions to Calcutta. He passed away in Mumbai
Modern Indian Art was his unique in 1985.