SAWLARAM LAXMAN HALDANKAR (1882-1969)UNTITLED (PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN)SKETCH ON PAPERSIGNED LOWER RIGHT7.5 X 6.5 INCHES

A SENSITIVE PORTRAIT STUDY BY SAWLARAM LAXMAN HALDANKAR, THE CELEBRATED MAHARASHTRIAN ACADEMIC REALIST, IN WHICH A YOUNG WOMAN WITH A CENTRE-PARTED HAIRSTYLE AND A LIGHT VEIL FALLING ALONG ONE SIDE OF HER FACE TURNS HER HEAD IN THREE-QUARTER VIEW, HER GAZE FIXED PENSIVELY INTO THE DISTANCE. THE FACE IS MODELLED IN SOFT, CAREFULLY GRADUATED SHADING, WITH DEEP-SET EYES, A STRONGLY DEFINED NOSE AND A SERIOUS, CONTEMPLATIVE EXPRESSION THAT GIVES THE SUBJECT A QUIET DIGNITY. LOOSE, ENERGETIC HATCHING IN THE BACKGROUND FRAMES THE HEAD AND CONTRASTS WITH THE REFINED TREATMENT OF THE FEATURES, WHILE THE UNFINISHED LINES OF THE SHOULDERS LEND THE SHEET THE IMMEDIACY OF A WORKING STUDY. THE WORK REFLECTS HALDANKAR’S MASTERY OF WESTERN ACADEMIC TECHNIQUE AND HIS SKILL IN CAPTURING THE CHARACTER AND INNER LIFE OF HIS SUBJECTS THROUGH NATURALISTIC DRAWING.

THESE WORKS ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER, MUCH LIKE THOSE BY RENOWNED ARTISTS SUCH AS M.F. HUSAIN, S.H. RAZA, F.N. SOUZA, AKBAR PADAMSEE, HEMENDRANATH MAZUMDAR, RAM KUMAR, JAMINI ROY, B. PRABHA, TYEB MEHTA, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY ARE OFTEN SOLD BY AUCTIONEERS TO COLLECTORS AROUND THE GLOBE