LOT 58
MAQBOOL FIDA HUSAIN
B. India, 1915 – 2011
Mother Theresa, 1980
Serigraph on paper (Edition 96 of 300)
38 x 56 cm
Signed on lower right
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, London. Previously sold at Christie’s London on October 14th, 2005. Lot 384 with label on verso
RM 5,000 – 12,000
Maqbool Fida Husain, widely regarded as the father of modern Indian art, was one of the most celebrated and influential artists of the twentieth century. A founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group established in Bombay in 1947, Husain revolutionised Indian modernism by blending indigenous themes with the expressive language of European modern art. His dynamic brushwork, flattened forms, and bold colour palette became his unmistakable signature, while his subjects drawn from mythology, history, religion, and contemporary society continue to resonate with collectors and institutions worldwide.
Executed in 1980, Mother Teresa is a striking serigraph that pays tribute to one of humanity’s most revered figures. Husain was deeply fascinated by Mother Teresa’s life of compassion and selfless service, producing a celebrated series dedicated to her. Rather than focusing on portraiture alone, he distilled her presence into powerful symbolic forms, using flowing drapery, simplified figures, and expressive colour to evoke themes of sacrifice, spirituality, maternal love, and hope. The restrained yet emotionally charged composition exemplifies Husain’s remarkable ability to communicate profound human values through an economy of form.
This particular impression carries distinguished provenance, having previously been offered at Christie’s London on 14 October 2005 as Lot 384. Combining the significance of one of India’s foremost modern masters with one of his most iconic and enduring subjects, Mother Teresa represents an important example of Husain’s exploration of universal compassion, making it an exceptional addition for collectors of modern and South Asian art.