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Lot Essay
After returning from Paris to Mumbai in the 1950's, Sabavala's early works reflect his exposure to Expressionism. His success lay in his ability to acknowledge "...the primacy of composition over improvization, of the precise juxtaposition of color, form and plane over tachisme..." (R. Hoskote, Pilgrim, Exile, Sorcerer: The Painterly Evolution of Jehangir Sabavala, Mumbai, 1998, pp. 63-65.)
White Bougainvillaea is a characteristic work from this period. Set in a Bombay garden, the artist is captivated by the incandescent white of a Bougainvillea in full bloom, set against a backdrop of green trees. This work reflects Sabavala's astute understanding of light and color. The intricate treatment of flower and foliage indicate his mastery in the handling of paint and texture, heightened by the deft use of both brush and palette knife. "I observe an object or landscape to which I intuitively respond. I analyze it to find the myriad tones that make up its color. I may see ten or more shades in the gray-blue or slate jade of the sea on a particular day. I make notes of these nuances-of the time of day, the mood, the season-and they enter my paintings in combinations that are unpredictable." (R. Hoskote, op. cit, p. 79.)
White Bougainvillaea is a characteristic work from this period. Set in a Bombay garden, the artist is captivated by the incandescent white of a Bougainvillea in full bloom, set against a backdrop of green trees. This work reflects Sabavala's astute understanding of light and color. The intricate treatment of flower and foliage indicate his mastery in the handling of paint and texture, heightened by the deft use of both brush and palette knife. "I observe an object or landscape to which I intuitively respond. I analyze it to find the myriad tones that make up its color. I may see ten or more shades in the gray-blue or slate jade of the sea on a particular day. I make notes of these nuances-of the time of day, the mood, the season-and they enter my paintings in combinations that are unpredictable." (R. Hoskote, op. cit, p. 79.)