BOMBAY SCHOOL, EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Bid & Hammer, November 2010
Exhibited & Published: 'Aeon', Dwija Art Gallery, April 2025
Private Collection, Mumbai

Non-Exportable

This painting is a striking portrait of a nomadic pastoralist - a Rabari man. The Rabari community traditionally herd cattle, camels and are spread across parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The artist seems to have been fascinated by the sitter's expression and has chosen him as a study of the human face. In this painting, the artist is highly skilled in capturing a powerful expression that layers a sense of dejection against an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. There is a wistfulness in the sitter's unfocused gaze, as though he is afraid to look directly at anything. The artist has concentrated closely on the details of the face, while intentionally leaving the turban and garb less defined, so as not to draw focus away from it. The sunken, slightly reddened eyes gaze out into a hopeless oblivion.

The artist seems to empathise with the subject and has done justice to his character, compelling the gaze of the viewer to linger on the finer details of lines and the trials of human life.