Modern and Contemporary Indian Art Takes its Place on the World Stage at Saffronart's 200th Auction

LONDON, June 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Connoisseurs of the increasingly popular but undervalued market for modern and contemporary Indian art are in for a treat. Saffronart's upcoming milestone 200^th auction presents 150 exceptional works by artists who span the evolution of Indian art from pre-Independence to the present day, illustrating over a hundred years of art history. The works represent the finest of the artists' oeuvres and have been carefully selected for their historical contribution to Indian art. Saffronart consolidates 18 years of expertise and leadership in pioneering art sales within India and abroad. During this period, the market for Indian art has grown significantly with an expanding base of a younger generation of art lovers in the UK and US entering the market.

Saffronart CEO Dinesh Vazirani said, "Our goal has been to build a stronger and more vibrant market for Indian art, and this collection of meticulously curated works with impeccable provenances is testimony to this commitment."

The cover lot, Tyeb Mehta's rare and iconic Kali from 1989, one of only three such standing figures, has drawn much excitement in the art world. A sublime 1965 Untitled canvas by the universally appealing V S Gaitonde , is estimated at USD 800,000-1.2 million. Raja Ravi Varma's Untitled (Shiva) is a rare representation of Shiva as Dakshinamurthy, painted in 1903 towards the end of the artist's illustrious career, and is estimated at USD 461,540-769,235. A large ochre canvas by Manjit Bawa is estimated at USD 500,000-700,000. S H Raza's Paysage Provencal - I (Cagnes), 1951, stands out for its precise composition, and is estimated at USD 200,000-300,000. Other notable modernists include Nandalal Bose, Gaganendranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil, Anjolie Ela Menon, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamsee, N S Bendre, F N Souza, Bhupen Khakhar and Zarina Hashmi.

The sculpture section offers works by Himmat Shah, Sankho Chaudhuri, Prodosh Dasgupta, Meera Mukherjee and Piraji Sagara.

The contemporary section includes twenty-three works by leading artists. Especially striking is Hungry God, 2005-06, a monumental installation of stainless steel vessels by Subodh Gupta. Also on offer are works by Anju Dodiya, Jagannath Panda, Justin Ponmany, Thukral and Tagra, N S Harsha, Dhruvi Acharya and Rina Banerjee.

The auction will take place on 13-14 June 2018 on http://www.saffronart.com, preceded by viewings in London and New York. All lots can be viewed on https://www.saffronart.com/auctions/summer-online-auction-2018-4094

Media contact:
Benjamin Bamnolkar
benjamin@saffronart.com