Note

The artwork has scatterred paint loss and faint crease marks visible. There are two historical moisture stains visible on top left and right.

Description

Shiavax Dhanjibhoy Chavda (11 December 1914 – 18 August 1990) was an Indian painter, illustrator and muralist. Known for his dynamic line drawings and paintings, Chavda's work predominantly showcased the dancers and musicians from India and Southeast Asia.

Chavda was born in a middle class Parsi family in Navsari, Gujarat. His father Dhanjibhoy, was a trader and his mother's name was Hillamai. He completed his school education in Navsari and joined the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai After passing the art diploma examination in 1935, he was awarded the Sir Ratan Tata Scholarship in 1936 for further studies and secured admission in Slade School of Fine Art in London. Under the guidance of eminent teachers such as Randolph Schwabe combined with self-study, he completed the three-year course in two years itself, graduating with a fine arts diploma in 1938. A few months later, he also trained at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris. After his return to India in 1939, he studied Indian classical music and took elementary lessons in Indian classical dance.

Chavda was fascinated by the dynamic movements of individuals and groups of people engaged in their chores, dancers in various forms, and musicians showcasing their style and rhythm. He usually painted on canvas in impasto style, applying the paint with a painting knife. The characteristic of Chavda's artworks were the rhythmic lines, which he used to capture the motion and movements in the picture by sketching them quickly. In his paintings, he brought life to the image by using vivid colors while maintaining the predominance of sketched lines. Describing his approach to art, Chavda said: ‘Correctness of colour does not matter. I even distort the figures to give them character and create designs with them. I find no pleasure in actually reproducing life as I see and paint realistically; where is creative imagination otherwise?’

Executed in 1941, this artwork is a very early work by Chavda. The work exemplifies the artist's mastery of the medium with its accuracy in the anatomical form achieved alongwith the fluidity of stroke. The theme of elephants fighting is inspired from similar works from the Indian Miniature painting tradition.