This painting comes from a close friend of the Artist’s who was living in Mumbai in the 1980s. We exhibited a collection of sketches by Souza in Mumbai in November 2023 from the same collection. In this painting Souza depicts an Odalisque reclining against a richly textured backdrop. A male figure looks on from behind, reminiscent of the tale of Susannah and the Elders, a subject Souza visited earlier in his career. Except the nude, paint is applied thickly and quickly, giving the background an energetic and emotional feeling, contrary to the serene depiction of the reclining nude in the foreground.

For a further discussion of the theme of Odalisque in Souza’s work see our exhibition catalogue ‘South Asian Modern Art 2019’, pgs. 58 & 59.