An imagined cityscape by Akbar Padamsee and a never-seen-before oil on canvas by V S Gaitonde are set to go under the hammer on September 8 at Saffronart's Evening sale here.
The modern Indian art auction features seminal works from the post-Independence years by some of the revolutionary Indian artists from private collections, both across India and abroad.
Gaitonde's 1970 Untitled work , estimated at Rs 10 - 15 crores, was created at a time when the artist had moved into his "most lyrically abstract phase". It is the 'top lot' in the auction.
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"We are very proud of the collection that we have put together. I think it is a collection of Indian modernists at their very best and has almost a museum like quality in terms of the variety of the works. It is our flagship sale for the year," Hugo Weihe, CEO of Saffronart said.
The sale features 87 lots which are valued at a total of Rs 62 - 87.8 crores.
The large scale painting by Padamsee, titled "Greek Landscape" (1960), which established him as a master, now stands as an icon of Indian modernism. It is expected to fetch Rs 7 - 9 crores.
An imagined cityscape painted in a palette of varying intensities of grey, it was first exhibited at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai and received particular attention at the time for its revolutionary approach and monumental scale.
Paintings by iconic artists S H Raza, K G Subramanyan, Nasreen Mohamedi, Gulammohammed Sheikh, and Gaganendranath Tagore are among other highlights of the auction.
Talking about the state of Indian art maket, Hugo said, "The market is very well informed and intelligent. It focuses on the best works. And the growing international validation is helping enormously getting recogniton outside."
The sale also encompasses rare and sought after artists who have come to define Indian Modernism and will for the first time offer works by Sir Jacob Epstein, G M Solegaonkar, A A Raiba, Prodosh Dasgupta and Ila Pal.
Saffronart will also be hosting a a classical Indian art week in December that will focus on antiquities over 100 years old besides a range of sculptures and miniature paintings that are already lined up.
The artworks will be auctioned at The Leela Palace here.
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