Signed front lower right in hindi.
Step into the sacred geometry of Benares, 1961, a masterful abstract composition by Ram Kumar—one of India’s most revered modernists. In this meditative canvas, Kumar distills the chaos and rhythm of urban life into a contemplative mosaic of layered earth tones, ochres, and fractured geometries. The spiritual heart of Varanasi is not depicted, but evoked—through silence, texture, and structure.
Ram Kumar’s abstraction does not narrate—it meditates. His forms, seemingly architectural yet dissolving into shadow, invite the viewer into a space that hovers between memory and metaphysics. The textured planes pulse with latent energy, as if remnants of a city remembered in dreams. There are no figures, no skyline—just the suggestion of presence and passage, like prayers echoing through stone.
Each brushstroke in Benares, 1961 is deliberate yet organic, capturing a moment between motion and stillness. The palette—anchored in clay, umber, moss, and faded saffron—seems to breathe with ancient air. Kumar renders abstraction as ritual, where form becomes a vessel for transcendence. The viewer is not merely an observer, but a participant in visual introspection.
This work offers a rare opportunity to acquire a piece from Kumar’s pivotal Benares period, when his philosophical turn toward abstraction reshaped Indian modernism. Works from this series are held in the most significant public and private collections and are increasingly sought after for their historical and cultural resonance. Benares, 1961 stands as a testament to Kumar’s singular voice—both contemplative and powerfully current.
Ram Kumar’s vision bridged European modernist techniques with Indian metaphysical thought. In this painting, he achieves not just aesthetic mastery, but a quiet revolution of seeing. It is a painting to live with—one that deepens with time, offering moments of reflection and connection. Like the eternal city it channels, Benares, 1961 is a work that endures, illumines, and transcends.
Private collection, London, UK.
Acquired from the above by the current owner (2018).
Good vintage condition with some signs of wear. Unframed.
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Ram Kumar, born in Shimla, India in 1924, was a pioneer of abstract art in India. His early life was marked by his education in Delhi, where he studied economics before moving to Paris in 1949 to study painting under renowned artists such as Fernand Léger. His initial works were figurative, but his style evolved into abstract expressionism over time. Deeply influenced by existentialism, Ram Kumar’s paintings often depicted inner struggles and emotional landscapes, moving away from traditional representations to explore human conditions through abstraction.
A pivotal moment in Ram Kumar’s career came after his visit to Varanasi in the 1960s, where the spiritual and physical contrasts of the city greatly impacted his work. His abstract urban landscapes, inspired by Varanasi’s ghats and temples, are considered some of his most powerful creations. Internationally acclaimed, Ram Kumar exhibited in prestigious events such as the Venice Biennale, and his contributions to modern art earned him numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan. His legacy endures as a key figure in Indian modernism, both as an artist and a writer.
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