In a country as culturally diverse as India, artists and art movements of varied kinds have taken place in parallel. From the early 1900’s, artists in India were rebelling against the taught, western academic style of painting with the aim of forging their own path. During this time, Bengal became the cradle of modernism in Indian art with the formation of two artist groups. The Bengal School, which was led by Abanindranath Tagore and Santiniketan, helmed by Rabindranath Tagore. These groups refused to conform to the colonial school of teaching and turned to India’s indigenous traditions and ancient art history for creative inspiration and technical knowledge. The impetus behind their art was nationalism and the idea of a free, independent India. 

As the fight for independence came to an end and freedom was achieved in 1947, new mindsets and ideologies were formed. Bombay was luring artists from near and far and soon became a melting pot for creatives. It was at this point that a group of supreme artists came together to form the Progressive Artists’ Group (PAG). M.F. Husain, F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza, H.A. Gade, S.K. Bakre and K.H. Ara were the pioneers of the group, each hailing from a different part of India and having their own unique creative styles. 

The group was also later joined by artists such as V.S. Gaitonde, Krishen Khanna, Mohan Samantha and Bhanu Athaiya, the only female artist of the group. Unlike the two artist groups of Bengal, which focused on India and the freedom movement, the PAG saw art on a global scale. They were not rejecting Western norms but were drawing inspiration from art movements taking place across the world. Perhaps this is why though the Group was short lived, each of the artists went on to gain recognition globally. 

Expanding their horizons and moving away from traditional norms is also why the group gained harsh criticism and members of the group often found themselves in trouble; for example, Akbar Padamsee -  see lot 241 in the Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art auction on 13th November - was taken to court. But as they broke away from the rigidness and shackles of the art of the time, each of the PAG members forged their own style of painting. They were destined for greatness. Be it V.S. Gaitonde who created his own unique technique taking inspiration from abstraction or F.N. Souza who found solace in expressionism. 

Francis Newton Souza originally hailed from Goa in Western India. He dabbled in a cornucopia of genres and experimented in different styles, but is acclaimed for his figurative works and line drawings. Over the years he has been termed as a ‘dedicated vulgarian’ but his art is also inspired by bronze sculptures and statues of Ancient India and the sublime yet erotic carvings of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India.  

In the painting, Untitled (man with nude),lot 242 in the upcoming Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art auction, Souza brings two contrasting characters in one frame. A nude woman and a suited gentleman against a black, monochrome background. His inventive human forms create a considerably more complex composition, testimony that he was pushing his boundaries and challenging himself with each piece of art. Mastering his own style. 

In this particular painting, a mixed media on paper work, Souza paints a voluptuous nude woman gazing at a staid, stiff male figure. He paints the woman perhaps inspired by a classical Indian sculpture, sensuous and brazen, while the male figure with a suit and tie comes across as a layperson. His inner desires are coveted as the nude female figures glances at him, his hands wrapped around hers. 

With this juxtaposition, Souza pushes the viewer to think of the eternal dilemma between sin and sensuality, expressing both torment and fascination. 

Blog