Synopsis Dhoomimal Gallery of New Delhi is the oldest gallery in India. Established in 1936 it nurtured and promoted the talent and art of luminaries such as Jamini Roy, Sailoz Mookherjea, A.R. Chughtai, Jagdish Swaminathan and of course Francis Newton Souza. Many of the landmark works by the aforementioned artists, significant in the context of the history of Indian art, are part of the gallery's permanent collection. But among the luminous line-up, Souza, the foremost modern Indian artist, had a very old and special relationship with the gallery. Indeed one might say there is no family in India which can claim to have had as close a bond with Souza as Ravi, Uma and Uday Jain, the gallery's owners. Since the mid-1960s, the gallery's enthusiastic director late Ravi Jain had been closely associated with the artist.

"After the untimely death of Ravi Jain his wife Uma organized a number of important Souza shows and to a large extent it is owing to her patience and dedication that today the gallery is the proud owner of such an enviable and large collection of Souza's works.

In the course of various important group exhibitions some of the key canvases and drawings from the Dhoomimal collection have passed in front of the enthusiasts and connoisseurs. But it is for the first time that, through the medium of this catalogue, the entire Dhoomimal collection of Souza's works is being presented to the public. In addition, works purchased from the gallery by some of the international collectors over the years too find a place in this catalogue. Today Souza is counted among the great modern artists on the world stage and not merely an important Indian painter.