Bombay 1946 - Syed Haider Raza (Early Works)

In this early watercolor cityscape, Raza captures the hectic spirit of Bombay (1946) with fluid brushstrokes and a muted, expressionistic palette. The buildings and streets dissolve into one another, suggesting a city in motion yet held together by subtle structure. Light plays over the architectural forms in a gentle, diffused way, reflecting both Raza’s academic roots and his growing sensitivity to color and composition. This piece hints at his future transition toward abstraction — already here, he is less interested in detail and more drawn to the organic interplay of shape, form, and mood

Sayed Haider Raza, “S H Raza” is one of the most respected Modernists of India and is celebrated for his range of styles and the uniqueness of his vision. His early forms reflect a mastery of abstraction and after years of travel, exploration, and experimentation, he returned to Indian visual idioms for inspiration in the late 1970s, culling from tantric imagery. SH Raza looked to forms as the bindu (seminal source of energy), beej (seed), and garbagraha (sanctum sanctorum or hallowed space) for inspiration. Furthermore, he ascribed color with symbolic meaning and transformed local visual traditions into universal yet deeply personal spiritual iconographies.)