Osian's Auction Catalogue The Masterpieces Series | March 2010

45 The Masterpieces SerieS 20 g eorge k eyt (1901 – 1992) Kumudu Acrylic on canvas, 1975 S/d in English ‘G Keyt 75’ t.l. One label of ‘Christies’ and another label in English ‘George Keyt (1901-1993) Ref: VAG-53 “Kumudu” Acrylic on canvas (35”x18”)’ present on verso 35.0 x 18.0 in (89.0 x 45.7 cm) Provenance THE OSIAN’s COLLECTION. Acquired from Christie’s (New York) in March 2005. INR 1,600,000 – 2,400,000 US$ 33,330 – 50,000 Keyt’s evocative female forms are at once voluptuous and sculptural in quality. His inspiration in rendering such forms came from various sources – ancient Indian sculpture from temple sites, Sanskrit poetry and sacred texts such as the Gita Govinda, early cave paintings of Sigri, as well as miniature paintings from Central India, Mewar and Basholi. Keyt was also greatly influenced by the works of Picasso, Matisse and Fernand Leder. Speaking about his style and oeuvre of work, the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda wrote, “Keyt, I think, is the living nucleus of a great painter. In all his works there is the moderation of maturity, the beautiful stability of achievement – qualities most precious in so young an artist. Magically though he places his colours, and carefully though he distributes his plastic volumes, Keyt’s pictures nevertheless produce a dramatic effect, particularly in his paintings of Sinhalese people. These figures take on a strange expressive grandeur, and radiate an aura of intensely profound feeling” (Rpt. in Three Painters , R. de L. Furtado, Dhoomimal Ramchand, 1960, p.18). Exhibited and illustrated Revisualising India. Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, 2005. Illustrated in catalogue published by Osian’s – Connoisseurs of Art, p.66