Pulled at least a dozen canvases by the master of Indian modern art SH Raza after the artist declared they were fake.

The country's art fraternity was rocked today after the Dhoomimal Gallery, the oldest in the Capital, pulled at least a dozen canvases by the master of Indian modern art SH Raza after the artist declared they were fake.
The exhibition was a solo repertoire of the artist's early works executed between the late 30s and the mid-40s. The canvases were acquired from the master’s nephew.
The works were mostly landscapes and figures compositions that Raza painted in his early days, influenced by the European masters.
Owners of the gallery, Uday Jain and Uma Jain, apologised to the artist and cancelled the show soon after the inauguration late last evening.
Raza had been associated with the Dhoomimal Gallery for several years. The gallery, established in 1936 by Ram Babu Jain, is credited with bringing works by legends like J Swaminathan, FN Souza, Jamini Roy, MF Hussain and Kishen Khanna, long before before the culture of gallery shows took off in the capital.
“I had not realised in all my years in France that an obvious demonstration of fakes could be presented to a gallery. The person from whom the works were acquired was one of my family members. I told him to get out and filed a case against him," Raza told IANS.
"It was a sad evening. Those who faked my works are smart people and have abundance of talent. But the fact that they have audacity to sign the works in my name was sacrilege,” Raza added.
The move, said was not only good for his own self, but also for all senior artists like Gaitonde, F.N. Souza and Swaminathan, many of whose works are faked in the market,” Raza said. He said artists must have copyrights of their creation.

Posted in: Dhoomimal Gallery