Untitled (Woman with Two Donkeys)

MF Husain

MF Husain was inspired by animal symbolism from Indian mythology, and the work takes cues from his sculptural ‘toys’ of the period, where he frequently used domestic scenes along with other rural motifs, such as the horse, to explore ideas of identity and change, rooting the works in the Modern Indian context.

While Husain’s horses have become a genre for art collectors on their own, in this work, Husain experimented with another labouring animal, often overlooked and overburdened, the donkey. The pair of donkeys are accompanied by a woman, whose load appears to be earthen pots, which they carry on their backs. Whether it’s wares to sell at a local market, or the water she may have to carry a long distance for her family, the load of labour is shared by her domesticated equines.

The earthy background is complemented by the earthy tones of the print itself, with the bright rust bringing attention to the earthen wares and the heads of the woman and the animals. The muted yet expressive colors create a harmony of the trio, each taking colors from the other. Husain’s style of the 1950s echoes an inherently Indian theme with a muted palette within a simplified composition, emphasizing angular and gestural form.