Page 76 - Iconic Masters October2023

Lot No. 60
KRISHEN KHANNA
b. 1925

UNTITLED
72 x 48 in (182.8 x 121.9 cm )
Acrylic and charcoal on canvas
2016
Signed: Bottom Right

` 20,00,000 - 25,00,000 | $ 23,529 - 29,412
Provenance: Property from an international collection.
Artwork was acquired by the present owner directly
from the artist.

This lot will be offered without a reserve.

The artist working on the presented lot.
The presented lot is a charcoal on paper work by
exemplary artist Krishen Khanna that showcases several
of his recurring motifs - birds, combat scenes and the
killing of Jatayu. Khanna has always been enamoured
by scenes from Hindu mythology, with this particular
scene being one of his favourites. Here, he depicts a
dramatic scene from the epic Ramayana, wherein
the demigod Jatayu, in the shape of a large vulture or
eagle, is killed by Ravana during Sita’s abduction. The
artist has portrayed this important scene several times
in various mediums including sculpture.
Through his unique visual language seen in his
monochromatic works, Khanna lends a sense of tension
and frantic movement through his use of lines and
composition. Here too, the work pulsates with energy,
giving emphasis to the gravity of the combat. Utilising
techniques of smudging and erasing, he creates varied
textures and a perception of depth. His mastery of
light and shadow lends to the many nuances of the
subjects and makes the presented lot highly compelling
and dynamic.