Souza in the 40’s

Souza held his third solo show at the Bombay Art Society from the

January

to the

February

1948

. It is an exhibition that again received praise. Rudolph

von Leyden writes in his piece entitled ‘An Artist of Promise’ that “

I definitely

think that Newton has a big future, if he pursues the mastery technique with diligence.

A trip abroad to the centres of great art will benefit him inestimably

”. Later, in

the November of that year, Souza has his fourth solo exhibition, again at the

Bombay Art Society, opened by Emanuel Schlesinger. Souza wrote in the

exhibition catalogue:

“

I underwent an abortive art training. The teachers were incompetent. I was

expelled from the School of Art. I was banished from a secondary school. Shelley was

expelled once, Van Gogh was expelled once. Ostrovsky was expelled once. Palme

Dutt was expelled once. I was expelled twice. Recalcitrant boys like me had to be

dismissed by principals and directors of educational institutions who instinctively

feared we would topple their apple-carts

.”

The show, which included works such as ‘

Golgatha in Goa

’, was reviewed by

the Times of India the day after the opening:

“

Francis Newton’s painting, perturbing and bewildering to many, reveal,

nevertheless, the talent of a strong-willed and imaginative artist. For one who

confesses to pronounced materialist views, Newton’s pictures breathe an air of

dreamlike and romantic un-reality…..The oil paintings of this exhibition are a

surprising failure considering Newton’s better handling of this medium in previous

shows. But no criticism can detract from the artist’s steadily-growing talent which

seems singularly out of place in its unappreciative surroundings

.”

The following year, in

1949

, Souza exhibited at the Art Society of India at the

Sir Cowasji Jehangir Hall in Bombay. He had submitted four works, including

two of his ‘erotic’ works inspired by Ancient Classical sculpture. Although

initially approved by the hanging committee, they were removed just four days

after the opening on the grounds of censorship. Souza’s studio was searched

by the police looking for pornographic material, and he was charged with

obscenity. Krishen Khanna recalled visiting Bombay at the time and seeing the

‘objectionable’ exhibition:

“

As I walked up the stairs, I passed a rather well-dressed woman muttering to

herself. At first, I thought she was chanting a mantra. I listened more intently and

heard her saying quite audibly, ‘Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.’ That was a

prelude to what I was about to see. It was an exhibition of Francis Newton Souza.

Right in the middle of the center-wall was his self-portrait, in the nude….

Of course, females in the nude were an acknowledged and much desired subject

matter; but males, in spite of the legacy of Michelangelo, had to keep their

underpants on and their flies buttoned up. The police intervened and the ‘offending’

portion of the anatomy in the self-portrait was suitably covered, thereby attracting

still more attention.

”

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

1948—1949

Cover page of ‘Dominions of India and Pakistan’ held

at The Royal Academy of Arts, London,

1947

–

‘Yakshi’ 2

Century Sculptures from the exhibition

catalogue for ‘Dominions of India and Pakistan’ held

at The Royal Academy of Arts, London,

1947

–

‘Padmapani’, from the Ajanta cave paintings (copy by

Griffiths of the original fresco painting) c.

500

A.D,

from the exhibition catalogue for ‘Dominions of India

and Pakistan’ held at The Royal Academy of Arts,

London,

1947

–

‘Natraja’ (Shiva as Lord of the Dance), from the

exhibition catalogue for ‘Dominions of India and

Pakistan’ held at The Royal Academy of Arts,

London,

1947

–