AstaGuru achieves 'white glove' result; sale valued at Rs. 42.69cr
Online auction house AstaGuru's recent Modern Indian art sale achieved a white glove result (a sale where all lots are sold), with all 50 lots selling for a total sales value of Rs. 42.69 crore. The auction's top highlight was MF Husain's 1972 anti-war painting, which he painted as a response to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which resulted in the India-Pakistan conflict.
Husain's painting, auctioned for the first time, fetched Rs. 3.45cr
"The work offers a rare glimpse into the artist's political intellect, and at the same time showcases his mastery with the brush," the auction house said in a statement. The painting that was offered at auction for the first time ever, fetched Rs. 3.45 crore. The sale also established world records for four artists- Meera Mukherjee, K Laxma Gouda, Laxman Shreshtha, and Badri Narayan.
Mukherjee's 'Dancing Baul-2' was auctioned at Rs. 1.31cr
Mukherjee's Dancing Baul-2, a bronze sculpture from 1981, features a Baul singer (Baul singers were very famous in Kolkata) giving us an insight into the inspiration behind the artist's work. The sculpture achieved the highest price for the artist at an auction, realizing an impressive bid of Rs. 1.31 crore, indicating that the demand for Mukherjee's works has grown consistently over the years.
Paintings by Shreshtha, Narayan were sold at these prices
Notably, Shreshtha's Untitled (Diptych) oil on canvas (1994), a large-scale work executed in his signature style, was sold at Rs. 52.31 lakh, which is a world record price for the artist at an auction. Moreover, Narayan's Untitled oil on canvas (1960) received a world record bid of Rs. 1.07 crore, achieving the highest price for the artist at an auction.
Collectors are looking beyond works by Progressive Artists Group: AstaGuru
"The four world records set, indicate that the Indian art market is blossoming and that collectors are looking beyond works by the Progressive Artists Group to expand their collections," said Sneha Gautam, Vice President- Client Relations, AstaGuru.
SH Raza's painting achieved second-highest price at the auction
The auction also included several important works from different stages of eminent modernist SH Raza's illustrious career. Raza's Prakriti (1997) made its auction debut, achieving the second-highest price of the sale at Rs. 2.39 crore. Another key highlight of the auction was a crucial work from the artist's oeuvre titled The Earth (1982) which was the third-highest sale, selling at Rs. 1.98 crore.
Akbar Padamsee's early Landscape sold for Rs. 1.50cr
This extraordinary creation showcases his deep understanding of his motherland, the auction house said. Another important lot in the sale was an early Landscape by Akbar Padamsee (1963), which achieved a sales total of Rs. 1.50 crore.
