MANJIT BAWA (1941–2008) PENCIL ON PAPER UNTITLED (SEATED FIGURE WITH CALF) 1981 SIZE: 11 x 9 IN

A GRACEFUL PENCIL DRAWING BY MANJIT BAWA, DATED 1981, DEPICTING A SEATED FEMALE FIGURE ENGAGED IN A GENTLE, EXPRESSIVE GESTURE TOWARD A RESTING CALF. RENDERED WITH FLUID CONTOURS AND DELICATE HATCHING, THE FORMS POSSESS A SCULPTURAL SOFTNESS AND QUIET RHYTHM CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ARTIST’S EARLY WORKS ON PAPER.

THE COMPOSITION EVOKES A SENSE OF SERENITY AND INTIMACY, WITH THE HUMAN AND ANIMAL FIGURES EXISTING IN HARMONIOUS DIALOGUE. THE SIMPLIFIED TREATMENT OF FEATURES, THE EMPHASIS ON CURVILINEAR FORM, AND THE EXPANSIVE NEGATIVE SPACE REFLECT BAWA’S DISTINCTIVE SYNTHESIS OF INDIAN MINIATURE TRADITIONS AND MODERNIST MINIMALISM.

SIGNED AND DATED LOWER RIGHT: “MANJIT ’81.”