Signed 'Souza' (upper right)
PROVENANCE
Saffronart and Apparao Galleries / Lot 34 / Souza & Baiju Exhibition / Los Angeles / 2001
Private collection, Mumbai
Artiana / Sale 2110 / Lot 42 / South Asian Art - Classical, Modern and Contemporary / Dubai / 21 - 25 October 2021
Private collection, Dubai
LOT ESSAY
Francis Newton Souza is an image-maker whose subjects ranged form representation of still life, landscapes, nudes and icons of Christianity. The influence of Goan folk arts, the Spanish Romanesque, and the landscapes of 19th century Europe are visible in most of his work.
Even with the recurring themes, his works that represent mother and son shows both intimate attachment and artistic significance, reflecting on Souza's very close life-long relationship with his mother. Despite the subject, the current picture is removed from any form of sublimity yet infused with approachable humanity.
True to his energetic style of painting, his figures were deliberately distorted, revealing an uninhibited, realistic style.