Syed Haider Raza is a renowned global master artist born in India who lives and works in France. While influenced by French techniques, Raza's work draws from Indian philosophy and cosmology through vibrant uses of ochre, umber, sienna, red, and brown. Raza helped found the influential Bombay Progressive Artists' Group in 1947 to break from European realism and develop modern Indian art. He is India's most expensive living artist, with some works selling for over $1 million.

1. S H Raza – A Global Master and Living Legend
“My work is my own inner experience and involvement with the mysteries of nature
and form, which is expressed in colour, line, space and light.” Syed HaiderRaza
Born and brought up in India, lived and worked in France, and exhibited and
appreciated the world over, Syed HaiderRaza is a global master artist in every sense
of the word, with a life as colourful as his art. While an overt French influence is
evident in his technique, Raza’s work in substance and use of colour was, is and
continues to be inherently Indian.
(Flora Fountain in Monsoon by S H Raza)
The nonagenarian became India’s priciest modern artist on June 10, 2010 when one
of his defining artworks, ‘Saurashtra’ sold for Rs 16.42 crore at a Christie’s auction.
Many of his works have crossed the $ 1 million mark a number of times. Raza has
also been prominent in the news recently, with two of his artworks, “Rue des
Fosses St Jaques” and “Encountre” goin g under the hammer for Rs 2.47 crore and
Rs. 3.15 crores respectively within the month of June, followed by “Akriti – Prakriti”
selling for Rs 2 crore in mid-July this year.
Primarily abstracts in oil or acrylic, Raza’s works display vibrant and interesting
usage of shades of ochre, umber, sienna, red and brown, which represent the
searing heat and passion of Central India where he was born and raised, and are
populated with icons from Indian philosophy and cosmology. Wh ile

2. Raza’sgeometric-themed works excited global collectors for an extensive period of
time, this trend has recently seen a shift towards a preference for the landscape
portrayals as well, with many garnering huge interest in international auctions.
Raza’s artistic inclinations were evident during his early years, when he studied art
first at the Nagpur School of Art, and then J J School of Art in Mumbai, and finally
went on to co-found the revolutionary Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group in 1947
along with fellow artists K.H. Ara and F.N. Souza.
As with many of his contemporaries at the time, Raza’s art was rooted in the
twenties, a period of strife for colonized India. There was a growing discontent
among artists about the need to fulfil their British patron ’s expectations of
adhering to prevalent influences of European realism in their work. The Bombay
Progressive Artists’ Group came together with a common intention of breaking free
from this trend and worked together to bring in elements of ancient techniqu es and
symbols, thus giving birth to modern Indian art