Saaqi

Hemendranath Mazumdar excelled in the academic style and acquired popularity for his sensuous depictions of women. In a departure from that theme, his Saaqi—a barmaid in a tavern who was represented, in fantasy, as a companion or a courtesan in The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam—is shown here in clothes that conceal her sexuality. The Rubaiyat, translated into English by Edward Fitzgerald, was further translated into Bengali, and its couplets clearly inspired Mazumdar. In the painting, the saaqi is depicted pouring a goblet of wine for a person whose presence in indicated without being included in the composition. A solitary figure, she appears absorbed in the moment of her work. Mazumdar’s Saaqi seems to be illuminated from within—thanks to the artist’s skilful use of both glazing and scumbling—and this removes her somewhat from the usual addressivity of her assigned role.