Osian's Auction Catalogue The Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series | October 2004

125 THE MASTERPIECES & MUSEUM-QUALITY SERIES 85 J. Sultan ALI [ 1920-1990/ b . Bombay, Maharashtra] Nag Raj S/d in English l.c. Pen & ink on paper, 1973 49.5 x 71.0 cm (19.5 x 28.0 in) Rs. 225,000 – 300,000 $ 4,850 – 6,500 £ 2,675 – 3,550 ‘Looking at the art of Sultan Ali the world of the folk opera comes again and again to mind. How wonderfully he builds elements of emotions into his art-like fear and anger, and the message of good and evil. The decorations are always there but they are balanced with a free play of personalized symbols that makes this art so different…What is strange is the way he was able to build an element of humour into this decorative format, a sense of laughter which one associates with the folk tradition. The fear symbols are always staged, they are not real, and the smile is not far behind. This quality comes through very well in his black and white decorative drawings, an exquisite series of creations that startles the eye.’ – Kishore Chatterjee, rpt. in The Statesman 12 October 1991.