Rasik Raval, Standing Nude (Late 1950s): The Friday Find

30 October - 6 November 2026

Friday comes round quickly... Last night Sanaya worked her magic and hosted a foil cutting workshop at the gallery, surrounded by Adeela Suleman's hand beaten metal sculptures. This week we've been preparing for Art Mumbai which takes place in a couple of weeks' time. For this week's Friday Find we have a very charming painting by Rasik Raval.

 

Charles Moore, 29 October 2026

  • Born in Gujarat in 1928, Raval studied at the J.J. School of Art from 1944-1949. After graduating he lived for...

    Rasik Raval

    Born in Gujarat in 1928, Raval studied at the J.J. School of Art from 1944-1949. After graduating he lived for a time on the streets of Bombay, painting from the pavement. His work caught the attention of Farrokh Mulla, a patron of the arts and head of M.R. Tata, who gave him a studio space at his home.

  • Raval worked in isolation, and experimented with folk art, aiming to depict Indian ancient art forms through a contemporary lens....

    Soli Bathiwala, Piloo Mulla, Khorshed Gandhy, Farrokh Mulla, Mme de Volois (art critic from Paris), Siavax Chavda and Kekoo Gandhy at the Princess street shop, 1965. Photo courtesy: Chemould Prescott Road archives, Mumbai.

    Raval worked in isolation, and experimented with folk art, aiming to depict Indian ancient art forms through a contemporary lens. 

     

    His work is characterised by stylised, elongated figures painted in flat, block colours, set against abstracted backgrounds. The technique is reminiscent of the cave paintings seen at Bhimbetka - inspiration for several modernists including Jagdish Swaminathan -  or of the figuration seen in Warli tribal paintings.

  • A red sandstone figure of a celestial woman India, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, 10th-11th century (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Paintings in Rock Shelter 8, Bhimbetka, India, Bernard Gagnon (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Jivya Soma Mashe, Untitled - Panavision, Circa 2000 (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Jagdish Swaminathan, The Emerging Sign, 1965 (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

    A red sandstone figure of a celestial woman India, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, 10th-11th century

  • This painting of a standing nude comes from a private British collection and is a delicate and charming thing. The detail is extremely fine, especially the treatment of the sheer gauze that drapes around the figure's body. Similarly, the hair is shown almost strand by strand. She is set against an ochre background, the surface of the paper textured, giving the feeling of a small fragment of fresco. The painting is in its original Chemould frame which suits it very well indeed.

     

    This diminutive work has an elegance.  In the context of modern Indian artists' treatment of ancient Indian subjects and imagery, Raval's paintings have an interesting place.

  • Rasik Dugashanker Raval, Standing Nude, Late 1950s

    Rasik Dugashanker Raval

    Standing Nude, Late 1950s

    Fact Sheet

     

    Rasik Dugashanker Raval 1928 - 1980

    Standing Nude, Late 1950s

    Chemould label on the backboard

    Mixed media on card pasted on board

    38 x 13 cm
    15 x 5 1/8 in

     

    Provenance

    Private British Collection;
    By descent

     

    £ 1,800.00

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