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Lot 43
Manjit Bawa | Untitled

Date of Birth: 1941 - 2008

Medium: Charcoal on paper

Size: 9 x 14 inches (each), 23 x 35.5 cms (each)

Signed by: Signed ‘Manjit’ on lower portion

Provenance: Collection of a reputed art gallery, New Delhi. Acquired from Saffronart auction, April 2022

Estimate: ₹ 12,00,000 - ₹ 15,00,000

Description

Manjit was born in Dhuri, Punjab and studied art at Delhi Polytechnic under some of the illustrious artists like Dhanraj Bhagat, Somnath Hore and B. C. Sanyal. He also went to England to work as a silkscreen artist. Once back in Delhi, he started teaching at his alma mater. Even after receiving exposure to European art styles, he developed his own style which was deeply rooted in Indian tradition and culture. He took inspirations from Indian mysticism, sufi traditions, mythology, folklore and legends from the place of his birth. Taking inspiration from the bright setting of the sub-continent, he painted his canvases in typical Indian bright hues. He received several honors and awards for his contribution in Art. Bawa passed away in New Delhi in 2008. Bawa practiced simplicity in figuration, which had some semblance to Kalighat Patas. Bright colours, smooth textures, contours and colour tonalities marked his unique style. The images he created invariably possessed a peaceful quality infused with a sense of stillness and calmness. Benevolent & serene expressions adorned most of his figures, an aesthetic rendition of his Sufi influences. Flat stretches of colour fields with figures that were often accompanied with birds and/or animals were discernable elements of his compositions, as can be observed in the present work.