Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

Lot 31*

Abdur Rahman Chughtai
(1897-1975)
Untitled (Woman praying)

4 June 2025, 15:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

£10,000 - £15,000

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

Ask about this lot

Abdur Rahman Chughtai (1897-1975)

Untitled (Woman praying)
signed 'Chughtai lower right'
ink and watercolour on paper
59.7 x 47.3cm (23 1/2 x 18 5/8in).

Footnotes

Provenance
Property from a private collection, Pakistan.

Chughtai's mastery of ink and watercolour is evident in Untitled (Praying Woman), where the fluidity of his strokes and the subtle interplay of colours create a dreamlike atmosphere. Handmade paper, with its rich texture and organic feel, enhances the ethereal quality of the painting. The choice of medium allows for an exquisite balance between precision and softness, characteristic of Chughtai's technique. The woman, likely inspired by traditional Mughal or Persian depictions of femininity, exudes grace and serenity. Her flowing garment, prayer beads, and delicate features reflect Chughtai's fascination with classical aesthetics. The act of prayer, central to the piece, symbolizes inner peace, faith, and a connection to the divine.

Chughtai's work emerged during a period of significant cultural transformation in South Asia. As an artist working through British colonial rule, the independence of India and subsequent creation of Pakistan, Chughtai's works often served as a bridge between the past and the present. Untitled(Praying Woman) reflects his commitment to preserving and celebrating the artistic traditions of the region while also engaging with modernist sensibilities.

For a similar work sold at Christies see, South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art Online, 12th - 25th March 2025, lot 13.

Additional information

Bid now on these items

Francis Newton Souza(India, 1924-2002)Untitled (Head)