Lot#29 || Ram Kumar (1924 - 2018)
BANARAS
(1993)
Acrylic on canvas
Signed and dated verso
23.50 x 32.50 in
Estimate ₹ 20,00,000 - ₹ 40,00,000
PROVENANCE
Private Collection Mumbai
Private Collection Mumbai
DESCRIPTION
Ram Kumar discovered his artistic passion through visits to Delhi’s galleries. Despite lacking formal training, he studied under Sailoz Mookherjea and refined his skills in Paris under Andre Lhote and Fernand Léger. As a Progressive Artists’ Group member, Kumar sought to define Indian modernism, merging Western influences with his cultural roots. Kumar’s transformative experience came in Banaras. The solitude and spiritual aura, intensified by the haunting absence of human presence during their arrival, deeply affected him. This influence resonated through his renowned “Banaras Series,” capturing the city’s collective spirituality and his personal contemplation on the cyclical nature of time. Employing Cubist techniques and an abstract lens, Kumar’s works from this series emanate human emotions despite often omitting figures. His canvas delves into the depths of his mind, yielding experimental pieces offering a unique and introspective perspective on Banaras.
Ram Kumar discovered his artistic passion through visits to Delhi’s galleries. Despite lacking formal training, he studied under Sailoz Mookherjea and refined his skills in Paris under Andre Lhote and Fernand Léger. As a Progressive Artists’ Group member, Kumar sought to define Indian modernism, merging Western influences with his cultural roots. Kumar’s transformative experience came in Banaras. The solitude and spiritual aura, intensified by the haunting absence of human presence during their arrival, deeply affected him. This influence resonated through his renowned “Banaras Series,” capturing the city’s collective spirituality and his personal contemplation on the cyclical nature of time. Employing Cubist techniques and an abstract lens, Kumar’s works from this series emanate human emotions despite often omitting figures. His canvas delves into the depths of his mind, yielding experimental pieces offering a unique and introspective perspective on Banaras.
