Description:

Lot 9. B. PRABHA (1933–2001) LADY WITH BIRD, SIGNED TOP LEFT, OIL ON CANVAS
Mid-20th century

Painted in oil on canvas, this elegant composition features a half-length portrait of a woman with stylised features set against a luminous ochre ground. The sitter’s elongated neck and simplified form are characteristic of Prabha’s refined modernist idiom. Her dark, serene visage, framed by smooth hair and adorned with gold earrings, contrasts vividly with the white bird perched across her shoulder. The dove’s gentle curvature and the sitter’s calm, introspective gaze evoke quiet grace and emotional balance. Prabha’s signature appears prominently at the upper left in bold black script.

This work exemplifies B. Prabha’s hallmark exploration of feminine dignity and rural resilience, articulated through minimal modelling, flattened space, and a restrained tonal harmony. Her portrayal of women transcends individuality to embody archetypes of labour, beauty, and inner strength—rendered with an empathy that defines her enduring legacy within Indian modernism.

Measurements: 18 x 18 in (45.7 x 45.7 cm)
Provenance: Private Collection, Boston, USA

Footnotes:

Emerging from the vibrant streets of Nagpur, B. Prabha embraced the canvas at a time when the realm of art beckoned but few Indian women. Her journey commenced at the Nagpur School of Art, culminating in a diploma from the esteemed Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay, in 1955. An icon of her era, Prabha's legacy is etched in the majestic strokes of her oil masterpieces, each a testament to the resilience of rural women amidst life's trials. Guided by the luminaries of European art—Van Gogh, Gauguin, Modigliani, and Picasso—and the soul-stirring depths of Amrita Sher-Gil's oeuvre, Prabha's palette danced with reverence for classical Indian paintings. From the verdant valleys of Kashmir to the bustling streets of urban toil, her brush whispered tales of the unnoticed, the downtrodden. Acclaimed even in her student days, her canvases found solace in the embrace of Homi J. Bhabha's collection, a harbinger of her impending greatness. Amidst her artistic journey, she found companionship in the form of painter-sculptor B. Vithal, their bond immortalized in shared creativity. As the sun set on her earthly voyage in September 2001, Prabha's legacy remained a beacon of inspiration, a testament to the enduring power of art to transcend time and space.

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November 7, 2025 1:00 PM GMT
London, United Kingdom

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