Untitled (Woman with Rooster)

Even the simplest and least intricate of M. F. Husain’s works stand out as his signature art because of the craggy yet bold lines that characterise his oeuvre. In this oil, Untitled (Woman with Rooster), for instance, he employs just a few lines—a mix of bold and light—to create a quintessentially Husain woman. It is a common, quotidian scene where a woman tackles a rooster, perhaps as part of her daily household chores. The most captivating aspects of this canvas, however, are the bold lines that define the woman’s body in a language that shows the artist’s skillful command over the line.