Osian's Auction Catalogue The Osianama Series |February 2013

116 1958 ‘In Chandra’s case, the pattern of a particular painting evolves in much the way a doodle evolves, or the way in which colours are used to distinguish elements from one another. By trial and intuition – and with a very spontaneous hand – there evolves a web of colour and line which welds together the ambiguity of his images. Although one might at first interpret this patterning as a self- conscious attempt to slur over the conventional distinctions implicit in Western painting between figuration and non-figuration…the “play” of the pattern comes first; there is never any particular consciousness of geometry, and never any attempt to exclude an image for the sake of ‘pure” pictorial values.’ – G.M.Butcher rpt. in Avinash Chandra Molton Gallery London ExC 1960. “Energy is the essence of his work, which manifests an all too contagious delight in the exuberance of life; this is reflected also in his warm, full- blooded colours, reds and yellows by preference, which he sets off with telling effects against blacks and whites. These, however, are not his invariable repertory; his breadth of invention calls for an effective use of the spectrum, in intricate patterns of striking beauty.” – P.R. Ramachandra Rao, Contemporary Indian Art (Hyderabad: P.R. Ramachandra Rao, 1969), 20. 58 Avinash Chandra 14 April 1931 – 13 June 1991 Churches Oil on masonite board, 1958 S/d in English ‘Avinash 58’ l.l. Inscribed in English ‘CHURCHES / AVINASH CHANDRA’ on verso 30.3 x 40.0 in (76.9 x 101.7 cm) Provenance The Osian’s Collection ` 1,500,000 – 3,000,000 US$ 27,270 – 54,540 GBP 18,750 – 37,500 Full image on pp. 114-115 Illustrative Reference Please refer to Khanna, Balraj & Aziz Kurtha. Art of Modern India . London: Thames & Hudson 1998; p.74 for colour illustration of Lot 58 though the painting is dated incorrectly in the book. 59 Avinash Chandra 14 April 1931 – 13 June 1991 The General Watercolour, pen & ink and pencil on paper, 1962 S/d in English ‘Avinash 62’ l.l. Inscribed in English ‘No 13/ The General/ 21” x 16” on verso 22.2 x 17.9 in (56.5 x 45.4 cm) Provenance The Osian’s Collection ` 400,000 – 800,000 US$ 7,270 – 14,540 GBP 5,000 – 10,000