Untitled (Horses)

The horse became a central part of Maqbool Fida Husain's oeuvre since his first representation of the animal in 1951. They are depicted as strong creatures, usually galloping, with reared heads and tremendous movement. His inspiration to paint horses was derived from a combination of sources, notably a trip to China where he studied Tang pottery horses and a trip to Italy where he discovered the equestrian sculptures of the Italian artist Marino Marini (1901-1980). However, what is liable to have been more influential is an event he witnessed for the first time as a fifteen year old boy: once a year during Muharram when the religious mourned the death of Imam Husain, the Prophet's son, they would carry tazias or effigies of Imam Husain's faithful horse in a procession through the streets. "[...] the earliest icon that he had a part in creating was the apocalyptic horse of the tazias. He was to remain loyal to that icon; it never strayed far from his imagination in his subsequent paintings." (R. Bartholomew and S. Kapur, Husain, Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1971, p. 32)

Husain's horses are not plastic forms treated to stylistic variations; rather, they are sensuous creatures that have become his personal symbols. In this work, the horses are dramatically intertwined against the moody, twilight sky, the black sun just about to disappear beyond the horizon. The sky's use as a backdrop gives the work a theatricality that may find inspiration in Husain's long association with cinema and cinema billboards. Through the uninhibited use of impasto Husain conveys the sense of raw unimpeded power of a herd of wild and untamed horses. According to E. Alkazi, horses are usually recognized as symbols of the sun and knowledge. They are associated with life giving and sustaining forces. Husain's horses have become "[...] a vehicle for multiple utterances - aggression, power and protection." (R. Shahani, Let History Cut Across Me Without Me, New Delhi, 1993, p. 8)