The auction on March 28 and 29 is estimated to fetch between Rs 17 crore (USD 3.5 million) and high estimate of Rs 23 crore with preivews being held in Mumbai, Delhi and New York, according to information released by the auction house.
With a total of 80 lots, the auction features a selection of prominent works including paintings, drawings and sculptures. The spring auction catalogue is suited to both first-time and seasoned collectors. One of the significant modern works featured in this auction is S H Raza`s 1979 canvas, titled "Paysage".
During the 1970s and 80s, Raza drew on his childhood memories of the nights he spent in the densely forested village of Kakaiya, where he was born, to create several large-format meditations on the role of darkness in the gestation of colour and life. Another significant lot is M F Husain`s 1970 painting of horses, featured on the cover of the catalogue and estimated at at Rs 1.5 to 2.5 crore (USD 312,500 - 520,835).
One of the most powerful icons in Husain`s expansive body of work, the horse is a symbol of fervour, strength and free-will. The artist`s multiple encounters with the equestrian figure began as early as his childhood days in Indore, and extended through his extensive artistic career.
Akbar Padamsee`s untitled 1973 landscape is another highlight of this auction. Transcending the limitations of conventional geography, Padamsee`s works in this genre have always challenged his viewers notions of time and space. The artist coined the term "metascape" to describe these ideal landscapes, stripped of all geographic and chronologic specificity.
Among the contemporary lots is Anju Dodiya`s 2004 painting on mattress titled Coronation II. The three-dimensional work offers viewers a daunting self-portrait of the artist wearing a loosely wrapped turban and high-collared dress.
Dinesh Vazirani, CEO and Co-founder, Saffronart says, "With over a decade of experience with online auctions, Saffronart remains committed to its core principles of transparency and access, even as we expand what we offer at auction and engage with wider audiences globally."
"Saffronart`s recent auctions have underlined both the ongoing appreciation for premium works of modern masters, and an invigorated demand for quality contemporary works. With strong results and increased interest from new collectors, we look forward to this auction, the first major sale of the year," he adds.