Andha Yug by MF Husain

MF Husain’s Andha Yug (1994) draws from Dharamvir Bharati’s celebrated play, which reflects on the aftermath of the Mahabharata. At the centre lies a long ochre body stretched upon arrows, draped with white. This recalls Bhishma Pitamah on his final bed of arrows, a moment where wisdom is offered even in suffering. The body becomes more than Bhishma Pitamah as it symbolises the cost of war and the endurance of truth.

Above it, Husain paints a bold red arch with black, blue and white panes. Some shine bright, others are darkened. The window becomes a metaphor for vision, the ability to see clearly or the danger of moral blindness. The red suggests urgency and passion, while the blue beneath the arrows offers calm and reflection.

The title Andha Yug, or “an age without sight,” speaks not of despair but of the need to restore conscience. For a collector, this work is an inspiration, a reminder that art carries history forward and urges us to see with clarity and act with wisdom.