Page 391 - Manifest September 2024

Lot No. 231

BAL CHHABDA

1923-2013
UNTITLED
39 x 68.5 in (99 x 174 cm)
Oil on canvas
1997
Signed & Dated: Verso
` 15,00,000 - 20,00,000
$ 18,293 - 24,390
Provenance: Property from a collection
based in Mumbai

Bal Chhabda, born in Punjab in 1923 in
undivided India, was a distinguished figure
in the Indian art world, celebrated for his
versatility as an artist, gallerist, filmmaker,
and collector. Initially involved in the family
business of film distribution in Ahmedabad,
Chhabda’s passion for cinema took him
to Hollywood in 1947. Upon his return,
he directed ‘Do Raha’ in the 1950s, a film
exploring the conflict between art and love,
though it did not succeed commercially.

His encounter with the artist M.F. Husain at
the Bhulabhai Desai Institute in Mumbai,
a vibrant creative hub, sparked his interest
in painting. Influenced by Husain and V.S.
Gaitonde, Chhabda became part of the
Progressive Artists’ Group, contributing
significantly to India’s modern art movement.
He founded Gallery 59 in Mumbai in 1958,
a pioneering space that nurtured emerging
artists like Tyeb Mehta and Krishen Khanna.