Untitled (Portrait Cubist de Femme a la Cruche)

In 1949, Paritosh Sen went to Paris and lived for five years in the city, studying and painting. There, he was deeply influenced by cubism, post-cubism, surrealism, and Dadaism. He also met Picasso, who offered to help Sen exhibit his works in Paris. This Untitled oil was made during this exciting period in Sen’s career and is noticeable for its European influences, most notably its cubist vocabulary. Its brilliance lies in the grafting of distinctly Indian elements on cubist figuration, such as the balancing of an earthen pot on the waist and the saree-like garment that wraps the figure’s slender body.