Osian's Auction Catalogue India The Passionate Detachment | February 2001

EXPERIMENTS & EXPRESSIONISM 141 111 HAREN DAS (1921 - 93) a. Concert S/d in English, l.r. Etching, 1949 20 x 24.6 cm. (7.9 x 9.7”) b. Happy Pair S/d in English, l.r. Etching, 1950 18.4 x 13.0 cm. (7.2 x 5.1”) Rs. 90,000 – 125,000 $ 1,915– 2,660 (Set of 4) “ No account of Indian printmaking history can be complete without reference to Haren Das’ enormous dexterity and control over the none-too-popular wood engraving medium. His reliefs are a wonderful interplay of tones and textures, shadows and silhouettes. With the skilful use of the bully, Harenbabu created a fine mesh of varying strokes, each delineating a separate object or surface — short, sharp, angular strokes for the swaying paddy fields; thin, parallel lines for the clear sky; a jagged edge for an ominous one; circular, concentric rings for gentle, rippled ponds — his oeuvre was seemingly endless. Often, he ran these lines in opposing directions so as to bring about a sense of movement in his prints. Sometimes he used them to create different textures like wood, thatch, brick or bamboo, varying the length, direction and density of the lines. Dramatic chiaroscuro effects played a very important role in his compositions.” (Paula Sengupta, from Retrospective ExC . 1999 ). “ In certain ways, much of his work is comparable to prints of the Victorian period, reflective of a particular world, known and deeply etched in the mind, repititive and mechanical at times, but tightly composed, where, apart from the documentary value, skill and trimness matter a great deal. Minute workmanship and a keen power of observation are conspicuous. Meticulous rendering attracts the viewer’s attention to themes both commonplace and off-beat…” (Ajit Kumar Dutta, from AH14, 1994-5 , p10). b c d a c. Ferry Boats S/d in English,l.r. Etching & Aquatint, 1958 16.5 x 22.5 cm. (6.1 x 9.8”) d. Joint Effort S/d in English, l.r. Coloured Woodprint, 1963 17.2 x 22.5 cm. (6.8 x 8.9”)