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Sotheby's Indian art sale begins May 23
Sotheby's is preparing for a special Indian art sale here on May 23, with some vintage works promising to make this auction head-turning
Sotheby's is preparing for a special Indian art sale here on May 23, with some vintage works promising to make this auction head-turning.
Other than contemporary Indian art, there is an impressive bust by Jacob Epstein of Rabindranath Tagore that is estimated at £10,000-15,000.
Conceived in 1926 and cast in an edition of 16, the work on sale is the second of the series with a slightly wider shoulder base than others.
Another rare work is a delectable soft hued wash by AR Chugtai estimated at £15,000-20,000.
The subject of this painting relates to a short poem by Mirza Ghalib: "It is no seeing eye which cannot see the ocean in a drop/The whole in a bit/It is child's play then/For a child cannot see the ocean in a drop/The whole in a bit".
Then there is an untitled work of 1943 by NS Bendre estimated at £4,000-6,000 .
MF Husain fans know his works of the 1950s and 1960s have been his hallmark. Among a large number of Husains in the auction, a few are sterling works of the older period.
"Taj" is an emblematic work that harks back to the past. "Makbara Mumtaz Mahal" is a simple pencil, pen and ink on paper, which is estimated at £20,000-30,000.
Another fetching Husain is "Blue Girl", a work of 1963 done in the old veiled mystic style and is estimated at £60,000-80,000.
From Husain's music series is a work called "Miya Malhar" estimated at £50,000-70,000.
During the 1960s, Husain painted a series of works related to classical Indian music and dance.
His "Ragamala" series is seen as one of his most iconic artistic statements, incorporating many of the artist's most recognisable themes and symbols.
Then, there is an untitled work of Husain from his "Lady with the Lamp" series estimated at £50,000-70,000.
