140-141 / 256
140
Saffronart | Evening Sale
The move towards geometric forms became further
pronounced in Raza’s work by the mid‒1980s, as seen in
the present lot. “In terms of painting, immense possibilities
seemed to open, based on elementary geometric forms: the
point, the circle, vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines, the
triangles and the square.” The triangles were Raza’s symbols
for
prakriti
and
purush
, the female and male energy which
combines to create the Bindu. (Geeti Sen,
Bindu: Space
and Time in Raza’s Vision
,
New Delhi: Media Transasia Ltd.,
1997, p. 126) The lines and triangles provide a clear structure
to while retaining the rich earth colours which evoke the
forests of his native Madhya Pradesh.
Similar Raza paintings on display at the Saffronart Raza: A Retrospective exhibition in association with Berkeley Square Gallery at the Saffronart Gallery, New York, 2007 S H Raza, Germination , 1987 Saffronart, Mumbai, 24 February 2016, lot 46 S H Raza, Earth , 1986 Saffronart, 10-11 June 2015, lot 33141
PROPERTY OF A DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN, NEW DELHI
50
S H RAZA
(1922 ‒ 2016)
La Terre
Signed and dated ‘RAZA ‘86’ (lower right); signed, dated
and inscribed ‘RAZA / 1986 / “La Terre”’ (on the reverse)
1986
Acrylic on canvas
47.25 x 47.25 in (120 x 120 cm)
Rs 3,75,00,000 ‒ 4,50,00,000
$ 568,185 ‒ 681,820
PROVENANCE:
Acquired from Aryan Art Gallery, New Delhi