- 5
Somnath Hore
Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 GBP
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Description
- Somnath Hore
- Untitled
- Bronze etching plate
- 33.5 x 50 cm. (13 ⅛ x 19 ⅝ in.)
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by Bani Prasad and Jharna Banerjee, Calcutta
Thence by descent to the present owner
Thence by descent to the present owner
Condition
In good condition, traces of pigment to surface, float mounted on card, as viewed
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Somnath Hore joined the Communist party during the 1940s, having witnessed the brutality of war during the Japanese bombing of Chittagong. Hore was assigned to produce drawings and posters for the Party, depicting the atrocities of the Bengal famine and the Tebhaga struggle of North Bengal. As a Communist, human suffering was 'not an existential predicament into which we are all born, but something always socially engendered.' (R. S. Kumar, 'Somnath Hore: A Reclusive Socialist and a Modernist,' Bengal Art: New Perspectives, Pratikshan, Kolkata, 2010, p. 55). Although Hore was to leave the Party in 1956, it left a lasting impression on his art. In the artist's own words 'All the wounds and wounded I have seen are engraved on my consciousness.' ('Somnath Hore; Epic Vision of Suffering,' Art of Bengal, A Vision Defined, CIMA, Kolkata, 2002, p. 73)
This rare metal plate originates from an important period in the artist's career. In 1958, Hore was invited to set up the first ever department of printmaking at the Delhi Polytechnic. At this time he began experimenting 'with intricate compositions, using multi-coloured etchings printed off a single matrix. The works are delicate yet richly textured, and the artist uses colour for the first time in an expressive manner.' (A. Jhaveri, A Guide to 101 Modern & Contemporary Indian Artists, India Book House Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, 2005, p. 38).