This painting ‘Evening in Bundi (Rajasthan)’ is from 1942 after he had completed his education at the Nagpur School of Art. Curious and wandering, Raza strived to capture the beauty and essence of India - his native country. “He loves to travel, and among the places he has visited he liked Rajputana and Central India most. The brilliant sunshine in these places, coupled with the colourfull life of the people and their brightly coloured and harmoniously blended costumes have a great fascination for him” (G. Venkatachalam, Present-Day Painters of India, pg 39, Bombay, 1950).

Painted at an impressionable young age of twenty, the sweeping brush strokes demonstrate a rare confidence and thorough  understanding of the effects of chiaro-scuro (light & shade). With a keen eye for details he observed and delineated the busy life of the hilly town. The work evinces a strong influence and admiration that Raza had for works by the French Impressionist Masters - Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh.