Masterpieces of Modern Indian Art

Masterpieces Of Modern Indian Art: Highlights from the Upcoming Collectors Choice Auction November 2021

AstaGuru’s upcoming catalogue will present bidders with an extraordinary opportunity to acquire numerous masterpieces and rare compositions. With 160 lots depicting different themes and subjects, the auction perfectly captures the evolution of Modern Indian Art. Works from 75 leading artists, including eminent modernist Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Amrita Shergil, M F Husain, S H Raza, F N Souza, and many more will be showcased in the auction. The auction further includes an impressive selection of sculptures by leading names in the modern Indian landscape including Prodosh Das Gupta, P V Janakiram, Himmat Shah, Sadanand Bakre, Satish Gujral, Somnath Hore.Several key works featured in the auction are originally from the collection of Davida & Chester Herwitz, who were important patrons of Indian art and were supportive of the modern movement in India at it’s very conception. Here are some highlights.

Lot 156: ‘Bindu’ By S H Raza

Leading the sale is lot 156, S H Raza’s, Bindu, an acrylic on canvas work from 1982, an image that has become highly synonymous with modern Indian art. “Bindu is a source of energy, source of life. Life begins here, attains infinity here,” said the artist S.H. Raza about the iconic symbol that dominated his oeuvre for the last three decades of his life. The inspiration for this leitmotif had come to him during the seventies. At the time, he was still living in France and frequently travelled to India to visit heritage destinations like Varanasi and Ajanta Ellora Caves. It was during one of these trips, the epiphany of creating Bindu arrived. The Bindu signifies the ‘beej’ or seed, the starting point.

Lot 148: ‘Family’ By M F Husain

Titled ‘Family’ the presented lot is a large scale work by eminent modernist M F Husain. The artist's attention to detail is evident with deft can be seen with the elaborateness of the anatomy, clothing, and lush surroundings. Interestingly, MF Husain has painted himself in the corner. He has portrayed himself in the act of creating this very painting. This work was featured in a 2011 exhibition titled ‘Remembering The Master: Works by M.F. Husain.’


Lot 21: Bronze Sculpture By Somnath Hore

The presented lot is a bronze sculpture by artist Somnath Hore. During the 1970s Hore started doing bronze sculptures. Through his work, he expressed his feelings about major historical crises like famines and war. The devastating 1943 Bengal famine became one of the recurring themes in his work. Depicting suffering and contorted figures became Somnath Hore’s unique style.


Lot 160: ‘A Homage To C V Raman’ by M F Husain

The presented lot is a rare abstract work by artist M F Husain. Husain was a multi-faceted artist whose interests went beyond traditional arts practice. Science was one field that also deeply intrigued Husain. In one such effort to assimilate his art with science he paid a homage to Sir C.V. Raman by interpreting the ‘Raman Effect’ through a set of abstract works. These works were showcased in a solo exhibition titled ‘99 years of C.V. Raman.’ Known for his groundbreaking work in the light of field scattering known as ‘the Raman Effect’, Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was the first Asian to win the prestigious Nobel prize in the field of science. Two of these works are presented in the above lot.


Lot 132: ‘Mother and Child’ By Prodosh Das Gupta

The presented lot is a bronze sculpture by Prodosh Das Gupta. Titled ‘Mother and Child,’ the work was also published in the book ‘Prodosh Das Gupta: Contemporary Indian Art Series’ by Lalit Kala Akademi.’ One of the most revered modernist sculpture artists of India, Prodosh Das Gupta founded the Calcutta Group with other artists including Paritosh Sen and Gopal Ghose. The artist also experimented with the process of creating sculptures in a few minutes and called them ‘instant sculptures.’


Lot 121: ‘Pieta’ By Anjolie Ela Menon

In the presented artwork titled ‘Pieta,’ artist Anjolie Ela Menon recreates the moment when Jesus was taken down from the cross but instead of Mother Mary, she shows him resting in Mother Teresa’s arms. She deftly captures the protagonists in her distinct figurative style and revisits a theme which has been worked upon by artists over the centuries. The presented lot was published in the book ‘Anjolie Ela Menon : Through the Patina’ by Vadehra Art Gallery, Delhi.


Lot 72: The Gardener By Ganesh Pyne

Executed in 2004, the tempera on canvas painting depicts a bust amidst a garden. The work is done in artists’ signature style with a somber palette and fine handling of the forms. Inspired by Bengali folklore and mythology and a childhood experience of violence during a riot, Pyne developed an individualistic style of poetic surrealism dominated by a sense of darkness and gloom blended in a haunting play of light and dark. “True darkness gives one a feeling of insecurity bordering on fear, but it also has its own charms, mystery, profundity, a fairyland atmosphere,” the artist said of his practice once.


This Collectors’ Choice Auction, scheduled on November 20-21, 2021, is a great opportunity to collect works from the masters of modern Indian art. All lots will be offered without a reserve. Bidding for all artworks will commence at Rs 20,000. Register now to bid in the auction! sss