Page 44 - Studio International - January 1967
P. 44
The primitive and exotic
There's nothing quite so capricious as the interest which teenth to the middle of the nineteenth century. And now
modern artists take in the art of other epochs and other there's a fine exhibition of these at one of our leading
civilizations. At certain moments, for instance, African avant-garde galleries: KASMIN'S in Bond Street. To me,
art has seemed to play an important role in the develop- one of the keenest pleasures of this show is the fact that
ment of modern painting—one recalls Picasso's so-called it has been chosen with a thoroughly un-academic eye.
`negro period'. And artists have occasionally been great There are, of course, a number of important things—like
collectors even today. Many people will recall the the miniature shown here, which has all the vigour of the
fabulous collection of primitive sculpture made by the court art of the Akbar period. Most of the miniatures,
late Sir Jacob Epstein. however, belong to later epochs—many come from the
Currently, the exotic works of art which seem to be most vigorous local schools of Rajasthan. The various charac-
keenly attractive to practising painters are the Indian teristic preoccupations of Indian art are well illustrated.
miniatures which were painted from the end of the six- Here we see an aristocratic society, proud of its posses-
Horse in Udaipur State Stable
1761
Rajasthani
Kasmin Gallery
Far right
Pre-Columbian artist
Seated woman c. A.D. 900-1200
Terra cotta
15+ in. high
Gimpel Fils
Girl smoking Hookah, with
hand maidens (detail)
late 18th century
Mogul
Kasmin Gallery