- 590
Rameshwar Broota
Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- Rameshwar Broota
- Traces of Man
- Oil on canvas
- 46 x 46 in. (117 x 117 cm.)
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist
Condition
There is very minor wear to edges and with spots of associated pigment loss, visible mostly at the corners. This work is in excellent condition, 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.
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.
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
"Broota's central subject is man, through whose tensions and aspirations, lusts and endeavors, the greater issues of life are mediated. God is indifferent or distant, the human 'other' is absent; the solitary man becomes the site for conflict and resolution." (G. Sinha, 'Edge of the Precipice: The Art of Rameshwar Broota,' Rameshwar Broota: Recent Paintings, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, 2001, p. 23)
Reminiscent of woodcarving and etching techniques, Broota layers colors and textures upon his canvas and taking a thin razor, he begins his removal process, peeling back the paint to expose his work. Before even considering what the work represents, the technique is rife with the artist’s intent. This painstakingly slow methodology is intrinsic to his artistic approach in that the very practice of layering allows Broota to create almost a negative image of his work. He allows his works to appear on the canvas, as opposed to just depicting a portrayal of it.
While the Man in this Traces of Man work may be outwardly absent, man is present through the very deposits left behind. Moreover, the idea of ‘man’ in Broota’s works does not focus on the individual. The focus in many ways is on the shared experiences that demarcate us as higher beings yet without the accoutrements of civilization.
This particular series of works, stripped bare and set in a primeval era recalls the philosophical debates of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The tabula rasa or blank state of humankind with potential for good or evil are represented by the brutish ape-like figures within the 'Man Series.' Broota further allows us to see how we interact with the world and our place as active agents. This work acts as part of his most celebrated series and remains to date one of the most influential in Broota’s oeuvre.
Reminiscent of woodcarving and etching techniques, Broota layers colors and textures upon his canvas and taking a thin razor, he begins his removal process, peeling back the paint to expose his work. Before even considering what the work represents, the technique is rife with the artist’s intent. This painstakingly slow methodology is intrinsic to his artistic approach in that the very practice of layering allows Broota to create almost a negative image of his work. He allows his works to appear on the canvas, as opposed to just depicting a portrayal of it.
While the Man in this Traces of Man work may be outwardly absent, man is present through the very deposits left behind. Moreover, the idea of ‘man’ in Broota’s works does not focus on the individual. The focus in many ways is on the shared experiences that demarcate us as higher beings yet without the accoutrements of civilization.
This particular series of works, stripped bare and set in a primeval era recalls the philosophical debates of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The tabula rasa or blank state of humankind with potential for good or evil are represented by the brutish ape-like figures within the 'Man Series.' Broota further allows us to see how we interact with the world and our place as active agents. This work acts as part of his most celebrated series and remains to date one of the most influential in Broota’s oeuvre.