Page 25 - M F Husain The Eternal Master
P. 25

Husain’s early figures might bear traces of Picasso’s influence
 in terms of distortion, he did not adopt other elements of
 Picasso’s artistic language.
 Over  a  short  span  of five years,  from  1948  to  1953,
 Husain absorbed a vast array of artistic influences, ranging

 from Gupta sculptures and Basohli miniatures to Chinese
 calligraphy and Western art. These diverse sources melded
 in the cauldron of Husain’s mind, finding expression in his
 works during the 1950s, although pinpointing specific sources
 in specific works can often be arbitrary. Within the realm of

 Indian painters, Husain drew immense inspiration from the
 works of Amrita Sher-Gil. His artistic evolution during this
 period was also a multi-directional, multifaceted process.
 In 1956, Husain created “Between the Spider and
 the Lamp,” a masterpiece that deviated from his typical

 playfulness. This painting exuded a certain solemnity,
 depicting  two  young  female  figures  with  averted  faces,
 an  enigmatic  matriarchal  figure  holding  a spider,  and  a




























                   The artist at work, 1940s










 22                                                                                                                                              23
   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30