Untitled

One of India’s nine National Treasure artists, Sailoz Mookherjea is perhaps the least known of the haloed group. An early modernist, he did not live long but his oeuvre provides a glimpse of his easy expressionist style that drew on diverse influences of Indian miniature tradition and the Paris School. Through this large, complex and layered painting, the artist explores the idea of peace as symbolised by the Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, and too white doves. This work is a representative of its time as the world had only recently put a lid on the horrific World War II, and was grappling with the changed socio-political order in the wake of independence movements across Asia and Africa.