Extraordinary Auction by AstaGuru Comprising Works of Famous Indian Modernists, Ends Spectacularly

Monday, June 27th, 2022:

Amazing art works by prominent Indian modernists such as Tyeb Mehta, M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, Arpita Singh, and Krishen Khanna were auctioned off at AstaGuru's Modern Indian Art 'Collectors Choice' Auction on June 23-24, 2022. The overall sales value of the auction was INR 26,24,64,816 (USD 3,499,447), with the bulk of the pieces selling for more than their projected value.

"We are quite delighted with the remarkable outcome of the current Collectors Choice online auction, which remains one of the most anticipated auctions in our yearly calendar," stated Sunny Chandiramani, Vice President – Client Relations, AstaGuru.The no-reserve approach allows us to present a wide array of works across media by Modern Indian Art stalwarts. These auctions provide an excellent opportunity for seasoned buyers to purchase artworks by famous contemporary artists, while also providing an excellent entrance point for novice buyers to begin their adventure in collecting art. AstaGuru is dedicated to showcasing high-quality artworks that contribute to India's thriving auction market."

The highest selling price was paid for a work by artist Tyeb Mehta, which was worth INR 2,92,52,927. (USD 390,039). It is titled 'Figure,' and it dates from the artist's early career. The painting depicts a lonely, solitary individual painted with a thick impasto technique and a limited colour pallet. While living in London in 1962, the artist developed this piece.

Arpita Singh's painting titled 'Counting Flowers: 'My Benares Saree' was sold for INR 1,89,81,479 (USD 253,086). It was painted in 1997 and is a classic example of the artist's visual style and colour combination.

Krishen Khanna's unnamed piece was purchased for INR 1,20,09,586. (USD 160,127). The human and architectural elements depicted in a restricted palette demonstrate Krishen Khanna's mastery of painting techniques. This work was completed in 1982.

Three pieces by artist M.F. Husain also sold for a high price. One of them, named "Shankara," was purchased for INR 77,03,209. (USD 102,709). The painting, which depicts a man with a snake, was once in the possession of artist Bal Chhabda, who was a close friend of M F Husain. A diptych from the artist's renowned 'Mother Teresa' series sold for INR 55,56,260. (USD 74,083). An unnamed acrylic on canvas painting was purchased for INR 59,55,167. (USD 79,402).

The sale also included a piece from S.H. Raza's 'Bindu' series. It was purchased for INR 71,30,534 and was titled 'Germination Red' (USD 95,073). This art was auctioned off for the first time.

Jogen Chowdhury's magnificent masterpiece was also on display and sold for INR 65,50,684. (USD 87,341). The 1990 piece was created using a cross-hatching method on paper using watercolour, pen, and colour pencils. It represents a pair, which is a common motif in the artist's work.

A magnificent piece by Nicholas Roerich was auctioned for the first time and was purchased for INR 49,30,254. (USD 65,736). The artist's inspiration, the Himalayas, is shown in this 1940 piece, which attests to his developed capacity to synthesise and amalgamate the essence of the physical world with the purity of the spiritual realm.

The auction also included numerous sculptures by well-known contemporary artists. P.V. Janakiram's sculpture of Lord Krishna was purchased for INR 38,68,307 (USD 51,576). Amar Nath Sehgal's three sculptures were auctioned for INR 31,96,948.

Amar Nath Sehgal was an Indian modernist sculptor who achieved tremendous success on international stages.

The auction took place on June 23-24, 2022.

Regarding AstaGuru

AstaGuru was founded in 2008 with the express intention of providing a safe and secure platform for conducting online auctions of Indian, Contemporary, and Modern Art. The title AstaGuru is a careful conjugation of 'Asta,' of Italian origin, which translates to auction, and 'Guru,' Sanskrit meaning for master,' indicating our outstanding finesse in auctioneering art and antiques in India and beyond. AstaGuru has endeavoured to effectively bridge the gap between potential buyers and consignors by surpassing the restrictions of live auctions as the globe has melted into one harmonious digital universe. AstaGuru makes the process of buying and selling art and rare items simple and transparent. Jewellery & Fine Silver, Timepieces, Textiles, Celebrity Memorabilia, Rare Books, Numismatic, Philately, and Vintage Cars are among the many categories in our collection. AstaGuru's mobile app allows our valued bidders to track and engage in our auctions in real-time.