Page 9 - M F Husain The Eternal Master
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just a toddler. He would later seek to fill the void created
                  by this longing through his art. His historic series of works
                  depicting the iconic figure of Mother Teresa is a testament to
                  Husain’s ability to infuse profound emotions into his work.
                       After the loss of his mother, Husain’s grandfather, a

                  tinsmith who repaired oil lamps, played a pivotal role in his
                  upbringing. Husain’s affectionate portrayal of his grandfather
                  as an old man, often accompanied  by lamp and  umbrella
                  motifs, also became recurring themes in his work.
                       Husain’s upbringing in Pandharpur was imbued

                  with  a  rich  mix  of  culture.  As  a young  boy,  he  went  to
                  watch  Muharram  processions,  where  for  the  first  time,
                  he encountered the replicas of Bada Duldul and Chhota
                  Duldul, the legendary horses of Hazrat Ali and Imam Husain.
                  These horses would become vital motifs in his paintings,

                  symbolising grace, valour, and more. When his father secured
                  a job at a textile mill in Indore, the family moved and a young
                  Husain continued to reside there till 1936. His time in Indore
                  had a crucial impact on his understanding of Indian culture.
                  These formative years in Indore coincided with a fascinating
                  period in Indian history.  The British had firmly established

                  their dominance in India, and the Indian royalty now lived
                  in a delicate balance between retaining their traditions and
                  adopting British customs to appease their colonial rulers.
                  The young artist witnessed this cultural confluence. This

                  dichotomy  created a  captivating spectacle,  which  Husain
                  would later encapsulate in his “Raj Series” in the mid-1980s.
                       Indore, during the Holkar rule, also emerged as a hub
                  of Indian classical music, and Husain often frequented music
                  performances. Dhrupad, an abstract form of classical Indian
                  music, particularly moved him. His deep sensitivity to music

                  would later find expression in his art. It was also during this
                  period that he was drawn to the world of horses, through
 File photo: Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group
                  visits with his grandfather to a farrier, who specialised in
                  fixing iron shoes on horse hooves. This experience would



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