Padamsee, Gaitonde’s work up for auction

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) An imagined cityscape by AkbarPadamsee and a never-seen-before oil on canvas by V SGaitonde are set to go under the hammer on September 8 atSaffronart’s Evening sale here. The modern Indian art auction features seminal works fromthe post-Independence years by some of the revolutionaryIndian artists from private collections, both across India andabroad. Gaitonde’s 1970 Untitled work , estimated at Rs 10 – 15crores, was created at a time when the artist had moved intohis "most lyrically abstract phase". It is the ‘top lot’ inthe auction. "We are very proud of the collection that we have puttogether. I think it is a collection of Indian modernists attheir very best and has almost a museum like quality in termsof the variety of the works. It is our flagship sale for theyear," Hugo Weihe, CEO of Saffronart said. The sale features 87 lots which are valued at a total ofRs 62 – 87.8 crores. The large scale painting by Padamsee, titled "GreekLandscape" (1960), which established him as a master, nowstands as an icon of Indian modernism. It is expected to fetchRs 7 – 9 crores. An imagined cityscape painted in a palette of varyingintensities of grey, it was first exhibited at the JehangirArt Gallery in Mumbai and received particular attention at thetime for its revolutionary approach and monumental scale. Paintings by iconic artists S H Raza, K G Subramanyan,Nasreen Mohamedi, Gulammohammed Sheikh, and GaganendranathTagore are among other highlights of the auction. Talking about the state of Indian art maket, Hugo said,"The market is very well informed and intelligent. It focuseson the best works. And the growing international validation ishelping enormously getting recogniton outside." The sale also encompasses rare and sought after artistswho have come to define Indian Modernism and will for thefirst time offer works by Sir Jacob Epstein, G M Solegaonkar,A A Raiba, Prodosh Dasgupta and Ila Pal. Saffronart will also be hosting a a classical Indian artweek in December that will focus on antiquities over 100 yearsold besides a range of sculptures and miniature paintings thatare already lined up. The artworks will be auctioned at The Leela Palace here.PTI TRS BKTRS