BENODE BEHARI MUKHERJEE | Untitled (Karnaphuli)

Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
Sotheby's New York, 16- 17 September 1998, lot 325

There are minor spots of discoloration and foxing throughout. Unevenness in the surface of the work is inherent to the weave of the cloth. This work is in overall good condition. It is in a temporary frame and 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.
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.

Benode Behari Mukherjee is a Bengali artist whose students included Somnath Hore, K.G. Subramanyan and renowned filmaker Satyajit Ray. The current lot is a typical example of the artist's oeuvre, depicting a village in the foothills in his elegant, stylised aesthetic. Redolent of oriental ink paintings, the work offers a glimpse of rural life and captures villagers going about their daily chores in an idyllic mountain setting.  The artist uses freehand lines of calligraphic ink in conjunction with bright patches of color to capture the luminosity of the landscape. The freedom with which color is applied also seems to create a sense of liberation, echoing the feeling of being present in such a terrain. Mukherjee's style is characterized by its easy marriage of Far Eastern techniques with the lavish brushstrokes of European colorists, recalling the work of masters such as Chinese artist Qi Bashi and the renowned Fauve painter Maurice de Vlaminck.