Osian's Auction Catalogue Indian Antiquities and Modern and Contemporary Fine Arts | June 2015

Prokash Karmakar 20 October 1933 – 24 February 2014 Pratima Oil on board, 1989 Signed in Bengali ‘Prokash’ & dated in English ‘89’ t.l. A label describing Artist Name,Title, Medium & Size on verso 27.2 x 21.7 in (69.2 x 55.2 cm) Provenance Private Collection, New Delhi ` 450,000 – 675,000 US$ 7,500 – 11,250 GBP 4,500 – 6,750 ‘Karmakar had always wanted his imagination to stir his skill. His paintings from the outset of his career have been a contemplation of life, a rendering of experience in artistic terms…Men and women are shown in their vulnerability, and their capability to struggle to tragic heights. Human suffering is the central theme, but it is never glorified… Women, men, animal, birds and inanimate objects appear in motion, or writhe in agony on the canvas. They are full of personal peculiarities and gestures… Vultures appeared to prey on pretty women. Profound and bright imageries dominate his works of this period… The composition of each painting is well balanced and colours aflame with a strange rawness.’ – Sandip Sarkar rpt. in Prokash Karmakar, Galerie 88 ExC 2002. 55 LOTS 52 TO 55 REPRESENT ARTWORKS BY FOUR LEADING MEMBERS OF THE CALCUTTA PAINTERS GROUP NIKHIL BISWAS, RABIN MONDAL, GOPAL SANYAL & PROKASH KARMAKAR . A BRILLIANT PEN & INK DRAWING BY THE INSPIRATIONAL AND INFLUENTIAL CALCUTTA BORN ARTIST - NIKHIL BISWAS, LEADING FOUNDER LIGHT OF THE CALCUTTA PAINTERS AND SOCIETY OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS 130