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Tyeb Mehta to lead Bonhams upcoming Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art auction in London
Highlights
Internationally renowned Fine Art Auctioneers Bonhams announces a stellar line up for its Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Sale, scheduled to take place on 5 October 2015, New Bond Street, London.
Internationally renowned Fine Art Auctioneers Bonhams announces a stellar line up for its Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Sale, scheduled to take place on 5 October 2015, New Bond Street, London.
The Bonhams’ Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art sale caps a season of international art auctions that have demonstrably shown an increasing interest in and collector base for Indian and South Asian art across the globe. The sale comprises 33 exceptional works from an enviable roster of Indian and South Asian modern masters, along with groundbreaking contemporaries including M F Husain, FN Souza, Tyeb Mehta, Sakti Burman, Shakir Ali, Sadequain, Ismail Gulgee and Gulam Rasool Santosh and many more.
Star lot of the sale a poignant and important early work by arguably the most successful Indian artist in the world, Tyeb Mehta, Untitled (Figure) 1959 from a private UK collection, lot 20 estimate between £300,000 – 500,000. Early examples of his work, such as this present lot from 1959, shows his then customary use of heavy impasto, an acknowledgement of the Parisian schools of painting. Although primarily a painter, Mehta retains a cinematic quality to his works. In this example, the figure is shown emerging from the encompassing background with his shoulder, arm and upper chest highlighted in the foreground. The scene is reminiscent of film noir use of darkness and shadow. Never before offered at auction, this
​ ​personal and evocative masterpiece is a rare insight into one of the region's most eminent artists.
M F Husain’s Untitled (lot 19) acquired from a private Indian collection (New Delhi, 2013), is estimated between £120,000 - 150,000. Husain once said 'When I make nude paintings of women you will find that there is no nakedness in this nudity'. This present lot, although bare-breasted and with rounded belly, is distinctly devoid of eroticism. It is a pureness of being that Husain has captured, the nudity a way to strip the figure down to her most bare and vulnerable.
Other highlights include F.N.Souza’s Untitled (Head) (lot 15) estimated between £40,000 - 50,000, and an important work by the seminal Pakistani artist, Ismail Gulgee, Horses (lot 31) estimated between £70,000 - 90,000. Lapis Lazuli mosaic works such as this are rarely seen at auction. Bonhams sold a lapis lazuli mosaic work entitled 'Polo Players' at auction in 2008, the first time in over a decade that a lapis lazuli work had been offered at auction.
Tahmina Ghaffar, specialist for Modern and Contemporary South Asian commented: “Bonhams October sale caps a season of international art auctions which has demonstrated beyond doubt that enthusiasm for Indian and South Asian art is now a global phenomenon. The depth and quality of the paintings we have assembled offer collectors the opportunity to acquire works by the greatest names of the 20th century. We are expecting a lot of interest.”
The auction will begin at 17:00 BST on 5th October 2015, at Bonhams London Headquarters at 101 New Bond Street.
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