Page 229 - Iconic Masters October2023

Jehangir Sabavala The Story behind

Important Works
“The Sky Like A Furnace Burning”

UNTITLED OF CLOUD AND AIR II
52.4 x 37.8 in (133 x 96 cm) 53 x 39.5 in (134.6 x 100.3 cm)
Oil on canvas | 1974 Oil on canvas | 1977 Mrs. Adajania’s brother Zarir (centre), who gifted her the painting with Mrs. Persis Adajania (nee Batlivala)
extended family and J. R. D. Tata.

In the gentle cadence of her recollection, Persis Adajania, formerly
Batliwala, recalls the words of Jehangir Sabavala, who poignantly narrated
his love for the sunsets of Mahableshwar. This story forms the lyrical
prelude to her masterpiece, ‘The Sky Like A Furnace Burning,’ a captivating
canvas that found its home in 1968 through the corridors of the Pandole
Art Gallery. This artistic gem was a wedding gift from her brother, Zarir
Batliwala. Her affection for Sabavala’s art was inherited from their father,
Homi S. Batliwala, the then Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing.

Homage to her father, who was not only a collector of eclectic artefacts,
but also a connoisseur of racing cars, which he owned and competed on
various tracks in England in the 1930s. Yet, amidst the revving engines it was
the enduring love for art that bound this family’s legacy. Late Homi S. Bativala racing his Bugati in England
(circa 1930s)
Persis Adajania reflects, “This solitary masterpiece, a testament to
Sabavala’s artistry, has been on our family’s wall for more than half a
century. Now, I’m content to pass on the torch of Sabavala’s luminous
THE PEASANTS THE EMBARKATION sunsets. Let someone deserving bask in its radiance.” In these words, a
54 x 42 in (137.2 x 106.7 cm) 42.2 x 32.2 in (107.3 x 81.9 cm) timeless legacy will find its way to new hands, perpetuating the magic of
Oil on canvas | 1981 Oil on canvas | 1965 art across generations.