Lot 150
ANWAR JALAL SHEMZA (PAKISTAN, 1928-1985)
MOVEMENT OF MOON,1959
Auction: 10 June 2026 from 14:00 BST
Description
oil on linen, signed Shemza and dated 1959, in Urdu in the bottom left corner
Dimensions
49cm x 41.5cm
Provenance
Formerly in the collection of the late Professor Hamid Hassan Syed who acquired it directly from the artist.
Footnote
Exhibited:
AL-Jamil Galleries, Pakistan, Silk Route Collection of Fine Arts, 2023
Anwar Jalal Shemza was a Pakistani artist known for his innovative blend of Islamic calligraphy and Western abstraction. Born in Simla in 1928, he grew up surrounded by Persian and Arabic script an influence that later shaped his artistic language. After studying at Punjab University, he moved to England in 1956, where the work of Victor Pasmore and Kenneth Martin helped steer him toward a modernist approach rooted in geometry and Islamic visual traditions. Defined by precise forms, bold colour, and rhythmic structure, Shemza’s work explored cultural identity and the meeting point between heritage and modernity. Working across painting, printmaking, and collage, he continually pushed the boundaries of form. Despite the challenges of being a South Asian artist in the Western art world, his unwavering vision earned him lasting international recognition.