Lot description
RAM KUMAR (1924-2018) "FAMILY" SIGNED IN HINDI & DATED BOTTOM RIGHT 51, OIL ON CANVAS 141cm x 102cm Provenance: Provenance: Sold by a French Gallery, Paris to a British Indian Collector, 2001 A copy of invoice is given to the winning bidder who has paid in full Thence by descent Property of a French Gentleman footnotes: Born in 1924 in Simla, Ram Kumar, a luminary in India's modernist art movement, initially aspired to be a writer while still in school during the early 1930s. It wasn't until 1945 that he formally embarked on a journey into the realm of visual arts. After completing his studies in economics at St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, in 1946, he pursued his passion for painting in Paris under the tutelage of Andre Lhote and Fernand Léger from 1949 to 1952, following a brief stint as a journalist. As a vital member of the Progressive Artist’s Group, alongside icons such as F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza, and M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar's significance lies in being part of the first generation of post-colonial Indian artists. Ram Kumar's artistic repertoire predominantly features abstract interpretations of landscapes characterized by jagged topographical contours, infused with an ambient sense of despair. His nuanced exploration of the concept of landscape involves employing various textures to articulate its architectonics through abstract strokes, reflecting his profound preoccupation with nature, existence, and the intricate relationships between space, objects, and individuals. Throughout his lifetime, Ram Kumar garnered numerous accolades, including the prestigious Padma Shri in 1972 and the Prem Chand Puraskar for a collection of short stories. His legacy endures through retrospectives and exhibitions, with the artist passing away in 2018 at the age of 93.