Hello, this item is a painting executed in the manner of Francis Newton Souza, showing a stylized bust with a divided face and angular body patterning. The surface shows intentional aging effects, but the handling of line, the contour of the face, and the internal geometries lack the sharp, confident draftsmanship that defines Souza’s work from the 1950s. Verified works from 1955 feature decisive brushwork, strong contrast, and a characteristic distortion of anatomy rooted in his Goan Catholic visual language. The signature “Souza 55” on this canvas does not align with authenticated signatures from that year in major sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, or Bonhams. The back of the canvas and stretcher also do not resemble materials used in mid 1950s works documented by the F. N. Souza Estate.

Souza is one of the most widely forged Indian modernists, and works of this scale and date require full provenance, Estate review, and material analysis to be considered authentic.