Page 257 - Historic-Masterpieces-Dec24

Lot No. 120
RAM KUMAR

1924-2018

UNTITLED
49.5 x 44.5 in (125.7 x 113 cm)
Oil on canvas
1971
Signed & Dated: Verso

` 80,00,000 - 1,20,00,000 | $ 98,765 - 148,148

Provenance: Property from an international collection

Born in 1924 in Shimla, Ram Kumar was one of India’s foremost
modernists. During the early 1930s, while still at school, he
aspired to be a writer rather than an artist. It was only around
1945 that he began to formally pursue artistic training. After
studying economics at St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, in
1946, he travelled to Paris, where he studied painting under
André Lhote and Fernand Léger between 1949 and 1952.

Ram Kumar’s oeuvre resists the simplified narratives often
associated with modern Indian art. Upon his return from
Europe, he adopted a semi-figurative style influenced by
post-cubism. Over time, however, he abandoned figuration
entirely, focusing instead on abstract cityscapes and
landscapes. This distinct approach set him apart from
many of his contemporaries. His work primarily features
abstracted landscapes with jagged, fragmented topographical
forms, often imbued with a sense of ambient despair.

Kumar explored the concept of landscape as a construct,
employing varied textures to convey its structural essence
through abstract strokes. His art reflects a preoccupation with
nature, existence, and the interplay between space, objects, and
individuals. By embracing abstraction, Kumar sought to evoke
a deeply personal and contemplative response from viewers.
Unlike much Western abstract art, which often gestures towards
transcendence, Kumar’s works focus on the immediate, visual
encounter between viewer and artwork.