Francis Newton Souza (1924-2002)

4cm hairline scratch along upper edges with minor spot of associated paint loss, otherwise in good overall condition, painting would be improved with minimal cleaning, colors of original slightly richer than catalogue illustration, as viewed
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When living in London Souza traveled quite frequently to Europe and his landscapes from the mid 1950's to the early 1960's  were clearly inspired at least in part by the religious architecture of Europe.  Souza completed a series of paintings while in Italy on an Italian Government scholarship in 1960, which were later exhibited at Gallery One in the exhibition 'Twenty Seven paintings from Rome' but it is clear that a year prior to this he also produced at least a few paintings based on the citadels and hill towns of Spain, but these appear to be less well documented.

A work titled Spanish Landscape (1959) that was originally purchased from the Waddington Gallery in the 1960's compositionally bears many similarities to the current work (in both works the towers of churches and mediaeval forts are strung out along a craggy hillside) but unlike Spanish Landscape, the current work is an unusually muted painting. However the result is just as striking; in a largely white sky, with horizontal bands of texture formed by ridges of paint, Souza has created the illusion of hovering layers of light reminiscent of the mirages seen during the heat of the Spanish summer.  The hill top towns of southern Spain with their eclectic architecture bearing both Christian and Moorish influence may have held a particular fascination for Souza as they were likely to remind him of his native Goa which continued to inspire him throughout his career.