We do not just watch but also play and feel so much for cricket that it is safe to call it the third religion of India.In a country of a billion plus, it is hard to find one person who does not have an attachment for this sport. We shed tears, get emotional with our team winning or losing, on seeing our favourite cricketer retiring. Art, the proverbial mirror to society, also seems to be bitten by the cricket bug.
Sasha Jaffrey’s painting depicting Virat Kohli’s 10-year journey at the IPL was recently auctioned at a charity dinner in London for 2.9 million pounds is a fine example of cricket meeting art.
We bring to you a collection of paintings glorifying cricket on canvas
1. The National Game by Hemavathy Guha
Hemavathy Guha pays tribute to the most popular sport in India- cricket. The artwork is a beautiful and captivating depiction of the Men-in Blue. It clearly highlights the team spirit necessary in the sport
2. Iqbal by M.F.Husain
The ‘Picasso of India’ M.F. Hussain was influenced by Bollywood very often and that is also very much evident from his works. The master was particularly inspired by the movie ‘Iqbal’, which is a story of a deaf and mute boy with a passion for cricket. He created a series of paintings inspired by the movie. This particular painting shows the humble background of Iqbal, his family and Iqbal with a cricket bat. The passion and hunger for the sport amidst his modest background is clearly visible in the artwork.
3. Iqbal by M.F. Husain
Another work from the ‘Iqbal’ series by the master artist. It beautifully captures the sentiment of failure and success in the sport. An exhausted Iqbal is shown collapsing near the stumps, giving the spirit of sportsmanship, hard work and struggle in the game.
Artist Sanju Das gets nostalgic and paints this striking acrylic on canvas painting depicting village boys playing cricket in a field. A slice out of the every day, it evokes nostalgic childhood memories.
