This lot was acquired during a diplomatic posting in Delhi from 1956-58 where the collectors met and became close friends with Maqbool Fida Husain. They recall, “When we met Husain we were greatly impressed by him – his tall with a saintly appearance and a serene personality. We were struck by the new style, colors and composition of his paintings, which were different from other Indian painters of the time. He represented the essence of Indian culture, and his paintings were a window into the Indian way of life, in a country that got its independence and became a democracy just few years earlier. We were very lucky when Husain came over one day, excitedly exclaiming that he had a special painting which represented two different distinct styles in one large scale masterpiece. It was monumental, and unusual both in scale and composition, combining one section intricately painted in colors and another contrasting section with bold large monochromatic figures. We immediately acquired it, and it has remained with the family ever since. Many years later, in 1993, during one of his trips abroad, Husain came to visit us, and was delighted to see his paintings still hanging on our walls.”