Contemporary British painter, printmaker, and avid collector Howard Hodgkin has described the collecting of fine art as both “a way of being” and “an illness.” His first encounter in 1964 with a sixteenth century Indian painting left Hodgkin lovesick for the country’s vibrant culture, history, and land. Annual visits to India ever since have elicited an impressive personal collection of works from the Mughal Empire, a vast number of which are currently making their North American debut at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
Durbar of Akbar Shah II, Delhi, India, 1820–30, opaque watercolour and gold on paper. The collection of Howard Hodgkin © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
In Visions of Mughal India: The Collection of Howard Hodgkin, works are organized thematically to underscore the various components of Indo-Persian society, culture, and religion. A series of royal portraits, such as the above painting of Jodhpur’s Maharaja Bakhat Singh, highlight the preeminence of such rulers of the time. Here, the Maharaja— a Hindi term translating into Great King— is portrayed in the classic profile position while his garments and surroundings boast of rich hues, gold embellishment, and floral motifs. Such elaborate decoration is characteristic of Mughal art, appearing throughout much of Hodgkin’s collection.
Maharaja Bakhat Singh of Nagaur, Jodhpur,Rajasthan, India,ca.1735, opaque watercolour and gold on paper. The collection of Howard Hodgkin © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
A string of action-packed paintings from the Rajasthani court illustrate riveting epics and myths set in lush palace gardens. Intricately designed, these works of art encourage the viewer to bury his or herself into the historic narrative each painting offers. A sequence of portraits depicting elephants in violent combat (a sort of pastime for the Mughals), small yet impactful paintings of flora and fauna native to the land, and works which explore the cultural and spiritual implications of music, account for some of the other themes the exhibition explores.
Maharaja Raj Singh and His Elephants, Sawar, Rajasthan, India, 1710–15, brush drawing with pigment on paper. The collection of Howard Hodgkin © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
There is something truly remarkable about experiencing Hodgkin’s collection in this particular gallery space. Perhaps it is the way in which the sun’s rays stream through the museum’s hexagonal skylights, or the dim echoes of Persian poetry which resonate from the permanent collection below. The exhibition exudes certain je ne sais quoi, inexplicable even for Hodgkin, “In Indian painting I have found much that for me could be found nowhere else, but I cannot tell you what—I can only metaphorically wave my arms at the pictures—and say ‘look!’”
From left to right: A Court Beauty, attributed to Chokha, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, 1805–10, opaque watercolour with gold and silver on cotton cloth. Botanical Study of a Composite Flower, Mughal, northern India, ca. 1630, opaque watercolour on paper. The collection of Howard Hodgkin © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Standout doorways brilliantly painted to resemble the traditional Mughal arch invite visitors into an adjoining gallery space. Inspired by India: Paintings by Howard Hodgkin features eight contemporary works which highlight the artist’s some fifty year communion with India’s diverse geography. His enticing works serve as abstract interpretations of land, sea, and the changing of seasons.
Howard Hodgkin, Autumn in Bombay, 2010–14, oil on wood. Photograph by Sean Weaver, The Aga Khan Museum ©Howard Hodgkin, 2015. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery.
Hodgkin’s works are spirited, characterized by invigorating colour applied wildly to the support. Despite their rather modest scale the paintings are unruly, showing an utter disregard for the confines of the frame. His 2014 oil painting entitled ‘Indian Summer’ demonstrates Hodgkin’s boundless passion for a land that is so dear to him.
Howard Hodgkin, In the Garden of the Bombay Museum, 1978-1982, oil on wood. Photograph by Sean Weaver, The Aga Khan Museum ©Howard Hodgkin, 2015. Private Collection, Switzerland
Dynamic works of intaglio printed on Indian khadi paper are also included in the exhibition. Such pieces of art demonstrate the impact India has had on Hodgkin’s work, not only thematically but in his utilization of authentic materials.
Hodgkin’s expressive pieces, in combination with his majestic collection of Mughal paintings, work cohesively to offer visitors two distinct but equally relevant perspectives of a culturally rich nation.
Vanessa Zeoli
*Exhibition information: Visions Of Mughal India: The Collection of Howard Hodgkin and Inspired by India: Paintings by Howard Hodgkin, February 21 – June 21, 2015, The Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Drive at Don Mills and Eglinton, Toronto. Museum hours: Tue – Sun, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.