Christie’s is proud to present Francis Newton and Maria Souza: A Life Partnership in Art, The Shelley Souza Collection, over 150 works of art from their daughter, Shelley, many of which have never been seen before.  Shelley brought these works to light to honor a life partnership in art between Francis Newton Souza and Maria Figueiredo Souza, a remarkable artist and designer in her own right.  They met in 1945, after Souza’s first solo exhibition at the Bombay Arts Salon. Both immediately recognized each other’s genius and their mutual respect became the driving force of their relationship. Differences in their moral and ethical values caused them to separate eight years after their marriage in 1947– which took place the same year as India’s Independence and the foundation of the Progressive Artists’ Group.  Maria, however, was perhaps Souza’s most unwavering advocate, whose support outlasted their tumultuous relationship. She championed his vision before he achieved fame, and remained a staunch believer in his artistry throughout her life.

The selection of works on offer celebrate the broad scope of the artist’s work and the variety of artistic media he was able to effortlessly command, as well as demonstrate the sheer range of the artist’s vision, which Maria sought to protect and nurture. Works such as the Bust of a Man, painted in 1968 in mixed media and spray paint, exhibit new forms of expression (estimate: $80,000-120,000). The raw energy of spray paint and the vigor of the abstracted form demonstrate the innovation of Souza’s vision. His painting of a landscape from 1963 reveals an irrepressible dynamism (estimate: $60,000-80,000). There is an unrestrained enthusiasm, a liberty in the application of color that is applied swiftly with a palette knife, creating smooth pulsating textures. It is a direct reflection of his uncontrollable painterly passion, and his overarching sense of joy.