Sher-Gil's painting becomes second most expensive Indian artwork
What's the story
Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil's In the Ladies' Enclosure became the second most expensive Indian work of art sold globally, after fetching a whopping Rs. 37.8 crore at Saffronart's recent Summer Live Auction.
Currently, a 1961 untitled work by VS Gaitonde that sold for Rs. 39.98 crore at another Saffronart sale earlier this year is the most expensive Indian art sold globally.
Details
The record-breaking artwork was painted at artist's family home
The oil on canvas created by Sher-Gil in 1938, a few years after her return to India, also set a world record for the artist.
The work was painted at the artist's family estate in Gorakhpur and showcases a group of women engaged in myriad activities in a field.
The record-breaking sale of Sher-Gil's seminal painting is a testament to her skill and talent.
Painting
A rare piece to emerge in art market: Saffronart CEO
"The work highlights Sher-Gil's growth and development as an artist and is a culmination of years of coming into her own as an artist of repute," said Saffronart CEO and co-founder Dinesh Vazirani in a statement.
He added that the work was also a rare piece by the artist from that particular period to emerge in the art market.
Other paintings
Other paintings that stole the show
Among other highlights of the sale that achieved a total value of Rs. 54.25 crore, were NS Bendre's untitled painting from 1985, and FN Souza's untitled work from 1956 that sold for Rs. 1.67 crore, and Rs. 5.04 crore respectively.
It is the second-most expensive work sold by Bendre in the auction. The highest work sold by the artist was for Rs. 1.98 crore.
Further details
Other Indian painters whose artwork sold at the auction
The sale also featured Ganesh Pyne's The Window (1997), which sold for over twice its lower estimate at Rs. 1.1 crore and SH Raza's untitled watercolor on paper from the 1940s, sold for double its lower estimate at Rs. 33.51 lakh.
B Prabha's Untitled (1959) sold for Rs. 26.46 lakh and an untitled acrylic on paper by MF Husain sold for Rs. 24 lakh.