George Keyt (Sri Lankan, 1901-1993) Lovers
George Keyt (Sri Lankan, 1901-1993)
Lovers
signed 'G.Keyt 68' upper right
oil on canvas, framed
77 x 78.5cm (30 5/16 x 30 7/8in).
Provenance
Property from a private collection, New York.
Acquired directly from the artist;
Private Collection, Malaysia;
Christie's London, 21st May, 2007;
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Two recurring themes in Keyt's artistic production are the depiction of lovers and female nudity. The former often stems from the Radha Krishna tradition that highlights the opposition and harmonious union of the male and the female. The two lots on offer here, lots 3 and 25 are the perfect examples of these themes.
Lovers is a fantastic illustration of the Buddhist Tantric concepts of eroticism, sensuality and love. The painting depicts a woman and a man in a tight embrace. The roughness of the man is represented by the darker skin whilst the lighter tone used to illustrate the woman symbolises purity and gracefulness. The red in the background underlines the erotic nature of the embrace. This is further emphasised by the rhythmic and strong lines that define the two figures that are characterised by strong traits and extremely geometrical features, such as the elongated eyes. These are characteristics that recur in both Cubism and ancient Indian sculptures. An additional component that supports the erotic and sensual element is the choice of clothing. The woman is covered by a thin transparent shirt that reminds the viewer of both ancient Indian sculptures and ancient Greek statues.
The colours, shapes, facial expressions and postures are a beautiful amalgamation of folklore, European Modernism and ancient Indian art and literature, which make Keyt's art admired worldwide, regardless the cultural backgrounds.
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George Keyt (Sri Lankan, 1901-1993)
Lovers
signed 'G.Keyt 68' upper right
oil on canvas, framed
77 x 78.5cm (30 5/16 x 30 7/8in).
Provenance
Property from a private collection, New York.
Acquired directly from the artist;
Private Collection, Malaysia;
Christie's London, 21st May, 2007;
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Two recurring themes in Keyt's artistic production are the depiction of lovers and female nudity. The former often stems from the Radha Krishna tradition that highlights the opposition and harmonious union of the male and the female. The two lots on offer here, lots 3 and 25 are the perfect examples of these themes.
Lovers is a fantastic illustration of the Buddhist Tantric concepts of eroticism, sensuality and love. The painting depicts a woman and a man in a tight embrace. The roughness of the man is represented by the darker skin whilst the lighter tone used to illustrate the woman symbolises purity and gracefulness. The red in the background underlines the erotic nature of the embrace. This is further emphasised by the rhythmic and strong lines that define the two figures that are characterised by strong traits and extremely geometrical features, such as the elongated eyes. These are characteristics that recur in both Cubism and ancient Indian sculptures. An additional component that supports the erotic and sensual element is the choice of clothing. The woman is covered by a thin transparent shirt that reminds the viewer of both ancient Indian sculptures and ancient Greek statues.
The colours, shapes, facial expressions and postures are a beautiful amalgamation of folklore, European Modernism and ancient Indian art and literature, which make Keyt's art admired worldwide, regardless the cultural backgrounds.
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
