LALU PRASAD SHAW (B. 1937)UNTITLED (WOMAN IN PROFILE WITH FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLY)201620 X 30 INCHES

A CHARMING AND INTIMATE COMPOSITION BY LALU PRASAD SHAW, THE CELEBRATED BENGAL SCHOOL ARTIST KNOWN FOR HIS LYRICAL, DECORATIVE FIGURES AND STILL LIFES, IN WHICH A YOUNG WOMAN WITH LONG DARK HAIR, A GOLD EARRING AND A SOFT LAVENDER SHAWL IS SHOWN IN PROFILE, FACING TOWARDS A SPRAY OF YELLOW FLOWERS AND A DELICATE BUTTERFLY. SHE IS SET AGAINST A FLAT GREEN GROUND, WITH A FRAMED STILL LIFE OF WHITE BLOSSOMS IN A TERRACOTTA VASE HUNG ABOVE HER, CREATING A QUIET PICTURE WITHIN A PICTURE. THE FORMS ARE SIMPLIFIED AND SMOOTHLY OUTLINED, WITH CLEAN AREAS OF COLOUR AND A GENTLE, HARMONIOUS PALETTE OF GREEN, LAVENDER, YELLOW AND SOFT BLUE. THE WORK REFLECTS SHAW’S LONG-STANDING INTEREST IN THE GRACE AND SERENITY OF THE FEMININE FIGURE, COMBINING THE FLAT, DECORATIVE QUALITIES OF INDIAN PAINTING WITH A QUIET MODERN SENSIBILITY.

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