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Ahmed Khan (B.1939) Untitled image 1
Ahmed Khan (B.1939) Untitled image 2
Lot 51*

Ahmed Khan
(B.1939)
Untitled

5 June 2024, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £5,760 inc. premium

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Ahmed Khan (B.1939)

Untitled
signed and dated 'Ahmed Khan 09' verso
silver lead and oil on board, framed
121 x 90cm (47 5/8 x 35 7/16in).

Footnotes

Provenance
Property from a private collection, Pakistan.

Note: There is note about Ahmed Khan by Colin David on the reverse.

Translations:

Part 1: The Arabic phrase 'الله لا إله إلا هو,' La 'iilah 'iilaa allah is 'There is no god but Allah.'

Part 2: The complete Kalma: 'لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ,' La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur rasulullah is "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.'

The other marked parts are repetitions or variations of Part 2, the complete Kalma.

Born in Sahjehan Pur, India, Khan was a Lecturer in graphic design at the National College of Arts, Lahore from 1963-1988. Until his recent demise he was considered to be Pakistan's greatest living calligraphic artist. He employed aesthetic conventions that focussed on repurposing and assimilating texts and inscriptions, which he successfully achieved through his crisp compositions as seen in Untitled. He applied the calligraphic forms to the base on the work and then overlaid his designs with silver foil and chemicals which changed the silver into vibrant colours; greens and reds in Untitled. His works often dealt with the Oneness of God and the desire for peace. The light seen emanating from the left corner of Untitled helps to promote the message. He further included the recurrent motif of a seal, seen in the top left corner. He is the recipient of the 1984 National Award by Pakistan's National Council of the Arts, the 1987 Top Honours award at the First Lahore Biennale, and the 1996 Shakir Ali award.

To see a similar work sold in these rooms see Bonhams, Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 22nd November 2022, lot 42.

Bonhams extends their gratitude to Mr Muzzumil Ruheel for his assistance with the translations.

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