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RASIPURAM KRISHNASWAMI IYER LAXMAN | Untitled (Man Lying in the Verandah); Untitled (The Parsi Girl)
Estimate
175,000 - 200,000 INR
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Description
- Untitled (Man Lying in the Verandah); Untitled (The Parsi Girl)
- Signed 'R. K. Laxman' centre left and inscribed and dated 'S/S, A / Wrly, Jan. 31 / P850' lower right; Inscribed and dated 'S/S, S. R. / 13/6/84, Tonight' lower right
- Ink on paper; Ink on paper
- 11 x 15 in. (27.9 x 38.1 cm.); 7½ x 5½ in. (19 x 13.9 cm.)
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist in 2004
Condition
Man Lying in the Verandah: The surface is undulation and the paper has yellowed due to age. The Parsi Girl: There is an ink stain and creasing along the top left of the work. There are minor ink spots on the lower right of the work. The painting is in overall very good condition, as viewed. It has not been inspected outside its frame.
"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
‘[What] Rabindranath Tagore is to Indian literature and [M. F. Husain] to Indian art, [R. K.] Laxman is to Indian cartooning’. (‘Letters to the editor,’ Financial Express, 28 January 2015, https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor-51/35726/) Cartoonist and illustrator R. K. Laxman is celebrated as a national treasure in India. He began his career illustrating the life of his famous elder brother, writer R. K. Narayan, for local papers. In the 1940s, Laxman moved to Mumbai, where he briefly worked for The Free Press Journal, before establishing his long-term vocation at The Times of India from 1947, the year of Independence. It was at the Times that Laxman’s iconic ‘Common Man’ was born, a cartoon figure celebrated by millions for being just that, an ordinary man who faced the same daily trials and tribulations as his readers. Through cartoons like the ‘Common Man’, Laxman was able to provide a humorous visual commentary on the social, economic and political turmoil of his nation. The charged topics he pursued were consistently portrayed through Laxman’s self-proclaimed “mood of mischievous abandon.” (R. K. Laxman quoted in ‘RK Laxman: The old man of Bori Bunder’, DailyO, 28 January 2015 https://www.dailyo.in/politics/rk-laxman-the-old-man-of-bori-bunder-you-said-it-common-man/story/1/1715.html)
The current works are two charming ink studies by Laxman, which both exhibit the distinctive and effortless line of the cartoonist’s hand. Drawn in his typical playful style, Untitled (Man Lying in the Verandah) and Untitled (The Parsi Girl) capture the same “mood of mischievous abandon” which Laxman ascribed to his famous cartoons.
The current works are two charming ink studies by Laxman, which both exhibit the distinctive and effortless line of the cartoonist’s hand. Drawn in his typical playful style, Untitled (Man Lying in the Verandah) and Untitled (The Parsi Girl) capture the same “mood of mischievous abandon” which Laxman ascribed to his famous cartoons.