Francis Newton Souza 1924-2002 Untitled

Souza's nudes of the 1960s are often portrayed with a full frontal stance, their fixed confident gaze unnerving the viewer.
Souza recalls as a child watching his mother through a peep-hole 'I used to watch her bathe herself through a hole I had bored in the door.  I was afraid if she thrust something in, I might get a bleeding eye-ball.  I drew her on the walls and prudes thought I was rude.  I can't see why, because as far as I can recollects , I had even painted murals on the walls of her womb.' (Dalmia, 2001 p.91.)