Lot 150: "Untitled" – FRANCIS NEWTON SOUZA (1924-2002).
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"Untitled" – FRANCIS NEWTON SOUZA (1924-2002).
This oil on canvas by F.N. Souza captures an abstracted architectural landscape rendered in angular, interlocking forms and a palette dominated by ochre, sienna, and crimson tones. The composition is densely packed with overlapping planes suggestive of fragmented buildings and facades, their outlines boldly defined in dark, linear strokes. Signed and dated Souza 60 in the upper left corner.
Souza’s accomplishments are as radical as his work. In 1955, he signed with Victor Musgrave’s Gallery One in London, and in 1959, his autobiography Nirvana of a Maggot was published to acclaim. His art was exhibited at the Tate Gallery (1955) and later became part of the collections at institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi. He received the Padma Bhushan posthumously in 2015. Known for his bold lines, distorted figures, and raw emotional content, Souza’s art was confrontational and unapologetically personal. He challenged religious dogma, societal hypocrisy, and colonial legacies, leaving behind a powerful and provocative legacy in Indian and global modern art.
Approximately 61.3 x 52cm
Provenance: Private collection from a distinguished British gentleman.
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