Hasamah Kanya

J. Sultan Ali’s contribution to modern Indian art remains seminal as he was one of the boldest of his generation to turn to primitivism in search of a modern idiom for Indian art. A chance meeting with anthropologist Verrier Elwin and subsequent introduction to the rich tribal culture of Bastar in present-day Chhattisgarh opened a huge and rich world of tribal art for Ali, who embraced its canons with open arms. His language found a unique individuality that is reflected in this oil, which as the title suggests, shows a young girl at play, grinning as she catches a dog by its tail.