Lot 232
  • 232

B. Prabha (1933 - 2001)

Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 USD
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Description

  • B. Prabha
  • Untitled
  • Signed and dated in Devanagari lower left
  • Oil on canvas
  • 19 1/2 by 23 1/4 in. (49.5 by 59 cm.)
  • Painted in 1960

Provenance

Acquired in Bombay circa 1960s by Mrs. Priti Currimbhoy (née Misra), founder of the Taj art gallery and Dr. Angelo Tealdo, Managing Director of Ceat Tyres
Thence by descent

Condition

There is slight wear to the edges and corners of the painting. Some craquelure, losses and lifting to pigment on the left and upper left side of the work has recently been consolidated by a restorer. There is a small horizontal mark at lower right corner, possibly inherent. The oranges are somewhat deeper than in the catalogue illustration. Frame: Frame joint at bottom right corner is slightly separated. Minor white stains to frame at top left edge.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Having grown up in a close-knit, middle-class family in the inconspicuous village of Bela near Nagpur, B. Prabha constantly portrayed subjects alluding to society and identity in a rural setting. In the 1960s, she concentrated on painting atmospheric landscapes in oil, much like the present lot, which illustrates a cluster of simple and uniformed houses from an aerial perspective. The artist utilizes a soothing palette of warm and pastel colors, blush pinks, peaches and earthly browns applied in heavy impasto to render this nostalgic and ethereal view. The deserted homes are not rooted on land; rather they float against negative space. Other than the sporadic windows and doors that only hint at the possibility of human presence, the dwellings appear to exist anonymously. Conceivably as a documentation of village life, there is a strong sense of community in the close proximity of homes, despite the profound sense of displacement expressed by the absence of a horizon in the backdrop.