Masters Legacy Auction by AstaGuru Featuring Rare Works by India's Modernist Icons Promises to be a Blockbuster

Masters Legacy Auction by AstaGuru 

The imminent 'Masters Legacy' Modern Indian Art Auction by AstaGuru will feature a variety of distinctive and significant works from various segments of India's most renowned modernists.

The exhibition is scheduled for April 29-30, 2023, and it will feature works by several artists who shaped the history of Modern Indian Art, including Nicholas Roerich, M.V. Dhurandhar, M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, F.N. Souza, Tyeb Mehta, H.A Gade, Ganesh Pyne, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Jogen Chowdhury, Krishen Khanna, K. 

Sneha Gautam, Vice President - Client Relations at AstaGuru, stated regarding the upcoming auction,

"The auction offers connoisseurs and art enthusiasts an uncommon opportunity to acquire significant works by eminent personalities of Indian modernism. These works not only exemplify the innovative artistic experimentation that characterised the modern era in India, but also the cultural diversity that formed the country's artistic landscape. With a selection of paintings, sculptures, and other works demonstrating the creativity and ingenuity of India's modernists, this auction provides our seasoned collectors with a unique opportunity to acquire rare and museum-quality pieces."

M. F. Husain: A large-scale oil on canvas by the artist M. F. Husain will lead the auction lineup. The oil on canvas painting titled 'Paradoxa' was created around 1970 and is being offered at auction for the first time. The work was published in the Tata Steel book on Husain. The work is offered with a price range of INR 500,000–7,000,000 and is featured on the cover of the catalogue. A piece from Husain's renowned horse series is also up for auction. This work, executed circa 1990 with a blue-dominated palette, is estimated to fetch between INR 2,000,000 and INR 3,000,000.

Nicholas Roerich: The artist Nicholas Roerich created lot no. 1 titled 'The Hut' while he was residing in London. The one-of-a-kind piece, which is a departure from Roerich's Himalayan series, once belonged to the collection of the esteemed Tsarist journalist Arkady Roumanov. The presented lot was possibly influenced by the artist's experience as the set designer for the Peer Gynt five-act drama. Similar houses were constructed in the drama to represent the various life phases, emotions, and circumstances encountered by the protagonist. It will be offered with a price range of 80,000 to 1,000,000 INR.

Lot no. 2 is regarded as one of K H Ara's most significant works of art. At the time of its creation, the artist had achieved a fluent command of his craft and command of his subject. The fact that K H Ara elaborated on the character's anatomy and depicted her in a recumbent position as opposed to his usual manner of seated nudity also contributes to the originality and rarity of this work. The painting is a potent exploration of intimacy, vulnerability, and the human body, as well as a magnificent demonstration of K H Ara's mastery over the delicate medium of paper. The 1960s gouache on paper work is estimated to fetch between INR 30,000,000 and INR 40,000,000.

Himmat Shah: Lot no. 5 is an important Himmat Shah sculpture. It was cast in bronze in 2006 and has been exhibited in a number of significant exhibitions of the artist's work, including his retrospective at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi in 2016. It is estimated to be worth between 15,000 and 20,000 INR.

Ganesh Pyne: Lots 13, 14, 15, and 16 comprise a vast assortment of sketchbooks by the renowned artist Ganesh Pyne. Two of these sketchbooks date back to the artist's time spent at the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Kolkata. The remaining two were constructed during his travels to Kashmir, Amritsar, and Konark, among other regions of India. Each of these packages, which include a total of 264 drawings, is estimated to cost between INR 60,000,000 and INR 80,000,000. Additionally, the auction will feature a tempera on canvas piece from Pyne's well-known jester series. Executed in 2003, it is estimated to be worth between INR 850,000 and 1,000,000.

S.H. Raza: Three significant abstract landscape works from early in S.H. Raza's career are the catalogue's highlights. Lot 17 titled 'Le Village' was painted with oil on canvas in 1956 and is estimated to fetch between 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 INR. A second work, lot number 21, executed in oil and ink on paper in the same year is estimated to fetch between INR 65,00,000 and INR 85,00,000. Lot no. 34 titled 'Paysage' was created in 1957 and is being sold for between INR 1,12,00,000 and 1,25,000. In addition, lot number 8 features a piece from the artist's Bindu series. It is titled "Germination" and was painted with acrylic on canvas in 1992. It is estimated to fetch between INR 20,000,000 and INR 25,000,000.

F.N. Souza: Lot no. 27 is a stunning landscape painting by F.N. Souza, completed in 1962 while the artist resided in London. In this work, one can discern the irregular brushwork painted with dark outlines and crosshatching that formed the basis of the architectural structures. This work is estimated to cost between INR 4,000,000 and INR 6,000,000. Two additional works by the artist are also featured. Lot number seven is a piece titled 'Rome.' This 1960 oil on canvas work is estimated to be worth between INR 40,000,000 and INR 50,000,000. Lot no. 31 was constructed in 1961 with gasoline on board and is estimated to fetch between 75,000 and 1,000,000 INR.

Lot no. 28 is an excellent illustration of Prabhakar Barwe's preoccupation with abstraction. The 1968 composition titled 'Bewitching Black' features abstract forms encircling playing cards. Barwe was the originator of the Neo-Tantra art movement in the country, which involved the creation of geometric forms imbued with profound symbolism. It will be offered with an estimated price range of INR 80,000,000 to INR 1,200,000.

Lot no. 38 is a significant piece from Rameshwar Broota's 'Man Series,' The presented large-scale work, titled 'Man-18th,' was executed in 1983, when the artist had mastered the style. The Man is depicted in a contemplative stance, with his back to the viewer. During this period, Broota also introduced geometric forms to the series, substituting the previous voids. This work is priced between 1,500,000 and 2,00,000 Indian Rupees.

About AstaGuru

AstaGuru was conceived in 2008 for the solitary purpose of developing a safe and secure online auction platform for Indian, Contemporary, and Modern art. The word AstaGuru is a thoughtful combination of the Italian word 'Asta', which means auction, and the Sanskrit word 'Guru,' which means'master,' and signifies our mastery of auctioneering art and artefacts in India and around the world.

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