Details

Provenance

Acquired in Bombay circa 1960 Thence by descent Catalogue note Badri Narayan was a self-taught artist who experimented with medium and subject matter throughout his extensive career. The stylistic traits of Narayans' works bear traces of medieval woodcuts, Byzantine portraiture and Pahari miniatures, all the while infused by his playful storytelling and bold stylization. In the early years of his career, Narayan worked with Vitrum Studio (later Hexamar Studio) to produce hand-painted, glazed ceramic paintings, of which the current lot is a beautiful example. Unlike his later compositions, which are often crowded with families, fruit-sellers, mythological figures and animals, this tiled portrait is rendered in striking monochrome. With her almond eyes, oblong nose and patterned tunic, the current lot is a charming example of Narayan's ceramic work.

Catalog summary

Property from a Private Collection, West Sussex Badri Narayan 1929 - 2013 Untitled Hand-painted ceramic tiles mounted on hardboard Signed and dated '1959 Badri Narayan' and initialed in Devanagari lower right Bearing printed label on reverse of hardboard: 'HAND PAINTED & PROCESSED / AT / VITRUM STUDIO / BOMBAY, 26 - INDIA / RUTTON VILLA / 143B, CUMBALLA HILL' 60.4 x 30.3 cm. (23 ¾ x 11 ⅞ in.) Executed in 1959 Provenance Acquired in Bombay circa 1960 Thence by descent Catalogue note Badri Narayan was a self-taught artist who experimented with medium and subject matter throughout his extensive career. The stylistic traits of Narayans' works bear traces of medieval woodcuts, Byzantine portraiture and Pahari miniatures, all the while infused by his playful storytelling and bold stylization. In the early years of his career, Narayan worked with Vitrum Studio (later Hexamar Studio) to produce hand-painted, glazed ceramic paintings, of which the current lot is a beautiful example. Unlike his later compositions, which are often crowded with families, fruit-sellers, mythological figures and animals, this tiled portrait is rendered in striking monochrome. With her almond eyes, oblong nose and patterned tunic, the current lot is a charming example of Narayan's ceramic work.