The Astrologer
From 1947 to 1952, Samant studied at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, where he was exposed to a colonial curriculum, copying plaster casts of classical sculpture and studying Indian miniature painting. The latter, particularly Basohli painting, aided the development of his own aesthetic sensibilities. During this time, Samant visited numerous historic sites in India, familiarizing himself with the classical arts of the country, which provided images and motifs that he would reference throughout his career. In 1957, he was awarded a cultural exchange scholarship to Rome, sponsored by the Italian government. He also befriended an Egyptian painter with whom he travelled to Egypt, which greatly influenced his work. A Rockefeller scholarship brought Samant to New York from 1959 to 1964, and in 1968, he moved permanently to New York.
The Astrologer, an example of Samant’s practice from the mid-1960’s, demonstrates his melding of the European and Indian visual idioms that he was exposed to through his tutelage and travels. It is largely non-figurative, with its texture and abstraction derived from European art. However, the same blue predominant here is also used in the Mughal and Persian schools of painting. The irregular band or border that threads around this painting references the interrupted borders found in Indian miniature paintings.
The Astrologer, an example of Samant’s practice from the mid-1960’s, demonstrates his melding of the European and Indian visual idioms that he was exposed to through his tutelage and travels. It is largely non-figurative, with its texture and abstraction derived from European art. However, the same blue predominant here is also used in the Mughal and Persian schools of painting. The irregular band or border that threads around this painting references the interrupted borders found in Indian miniature paintings.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Astrologer
- Artist: Mohan Samant (Indian, Mumbai 1924–2004 New York)
- Date: 1964
- Medium: Oil, plaster, charcoal on canvas
- Dimensions: 50 × 24 in. (127 × 61 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Jillian Samant, 2017
- Object Number: 2017.650.2
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Mohan Samant
ca. 1956
Mohan Samant
1975–80
Mohan Samant
1964
Sudhir Patwardhan
1998
Bahman Mohassess
1966
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.