The 1960s was an interesting decade in the life of F. N. Souza in that he gained immense recognition in London and later found his currency dwindling. Untitled (Emperor) was done when the artist was highly successful. Like his other works, Souza, here, distorts and reconstructs his subjects in a rich visual idiom. Showing pockmarks—derived from Souza’s own experience when he had chicken-pox—the emperor is shown with an absent forehead, an elongated nose, eyes distorted and set high.
published references
Singh, Kishore, ed., Continuum: Progressive Artists’ Group (New Delhi: DAG, 2011), p. 276; Singh, Kishore, ed., Memory and Identity, Indian Artists Abroad (New Delhi: DAG, 2016), p. 128; Singh, Kishore, ed., Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art Edition II (New Delhi: DAG, 2017), p. 439; Singh, Kishore, ed., Navrasa: The Nine Emotions of Art (New Delhi: DAG, 2020), p. 229
F. N. Souza
Untitled (Emperor)
1961
Pen and ink on paper
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F. N. Souza
Untitled (Emperor)
1961
Pen and ink on paper
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