An abstract artwork by modernist painter V S Gaitonde is part of an upcoming auction of Bengal school masters and modernist painters and includes a painting gifted by M F Husain to ex-actress Namarta Shirodkar.
Gaitonde's untitled 1980 work estimated at Rs 1.8 crore to Rs 3 crore is the most expensive among 86 lots scheduled to go under hammer here on June 27 in "Significant Indian Paintings" auction by Bid & Hammer, which expects to rake in total sales worth Rs 18 crore to Rs 25 crore.
"Gaitonde is a very important abstract artist and we expect the artwok to fetch much more than estimated," says Mehar Dadha, CMD of the Bangalore-headquarter auction house.
Incidentally a Gaitonde painting had created a record for an Indian artist when it sold for Rs 23.7 crore at an auction in Mumbai in December 2013. The artist who considered his work to be "a play of light and colour" is gearing up for a major retrospective in New York in November this year.
Another highlight at the upcoming sale is a series of works by M F Husain.
An acrylic on canvas signed and dated "To Chinoo with love" gifted to former actress Namarta Shirodkar by Husain is on the block for estimated Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
"Chinoo is Namarta's pet name and she featured in Husain's art film 'Gaja Gamini' inspired by Madhuri Dixit which took him four years to make. Namrata is evolving as a art collector and she will donate proceeds from the sale to the charity for children promoted by her husband Telugu movie star Mahesh Babu," says Dadha.
Another work by Husain an untitled watercolour on paper featuring Madhuri Dixit estimated to sell between Rs 8 lakhs to Rs 12 lakhs.
A large scale 1977 oil on canvas painting depicting horses against a saffron background gifted by Husain to Mohammed Al Baig is another work on sale.
A letter written by the artist to accompany the 1977 painting says "this piece of art is dedicated to the art itself".
