Couple

Husain's works have always been closely linked to India's culture and people. He is drawn to images that capture the essence of Indian life, be it ineither urban or rural settings. "He brings the villager right into the present, rather like a mascot figure: awkward, playful, energetic, his villagers have the quality of great animate puppets meant as though to be carried aloft by the liberal vanguard of India." (Geeta Kapur, Contemporary Indian Art, Mumbai, 1982, p. 9)

In the early 1960s he did a series of works that embodied the spirit of the Rajasthani people, paying particular attention to accessories such as jewellery, headgear and clothing. The present works shows a typical Rajasthani couple, identifiable through the man's headdress. Using simple broad lines and bright patches of colour, he has captured the warmth of the people and their landscape.