ALIVE: EVENING SALE OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART (17 SEPTEMBER 2020)

55

M F HUSAIN (1913‒2011)

Untitled

Signed in Devnagari and Urdu and dated ‘1 IX 1965’ (lower right)

1965

Oil on canvas PROVENANCE
38.25 x 47.5 in (97 x 120.9 cm)

Rs 70,00,000 ‒ 90,00,000 Acquired directly from the artist in the 1960s
$94,595 ‒ 121,625 Collection of an Eminent Family, Mumbai

Husain’s depictions of women are deeply rooted in Indian sculpture and miniature
painting, which he encountered during his travels across the country. The female
forms in his paintings take their cues from the energy and dynamism of Mathura
sculptures, while aspects of Jain miniature painting techniques also seep into his
work, as seen by the compartmentalisation of the two figures in this rare painting
from 1965.

In the present lot, he depicts two women facing each other, while seated in tightly
folded postures and enclosed within cocoon‒like spaces. By painting them in starkly
contrasting colours—midnight blue and earthy white—Husain explores dualism,
perhaps the concepts of birth and death which he associated with the feminine
principle. “The central concern of Husain’s art, and its dominant motif, is woman...
Spiritually, woman is more enduring. Pain comes naturally to her, as do compassion
and a sense of the birth and death of things. In Husain’s work, woman has the gift of
eagerness... and an inward attentiveness, as if she were listening to the life coursing
within her.” (Richard Bartholomew and Shiv S Kapur, Husain, New York: Harry N
Abrams, Inc., 1971, p. 46)

Untitled, 1960
Saffronart, New Delhi, 10 September 2015, lot 26
Sold for Rs 2.16 crores ($332,308)

Untitled, circa 1960s
Saffronart, New Delhi, 20 September 2018, lot 10
Sold for Rs 1.44 crores ($201,399)

151

IN MEMORIAM:
SATISH GUJRAL (1925 – 2020)

An internationally acclaimed artist, muralist, sculptor,
architect and writer, Satish Gujral was considered one of
the pioneers of modernism in post‒Independent India.

Gujral’s pursuit of the arts began at the age of nine,
after he suffered a hearing disability that prompted
him to try his hand at drawing, painting and even
reading Urdu literature. After meeting with the Bombay
Progressives in the 1940s, he realised his unique search
for a modernist identity was more traditionally rooted,
as opposed to the PAG’s brand of modernism, which
was inspired by European sensibilities and techniques.
In this quest, he went to Mexico City on a scholarship
in 1952 and apprenticed with renowned artists Diego
Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, and influenced by
their muralist movement, began experimenting with
the form himself.

The present lot was born out of Gujral’s experiments
with burnt wood after seeing the sculptural possibilities
and rich tones of a burning log. Often abstract
representations of deities, these works accentuate the
deep black of the charred wood by contrasting it with
shades of brown and gold. Through their textured,
contoured formations and distinctive style, they
demonstrate Gujral’s versatility as an artist and sculptor.

In the decades that followed, Gujral had exhibitions
around the world and won numerous national and
international awards. He was a three‒time National
Award Winner for painting and sculpture, and the
recipient of the Padma Vibhushan in 1999 – the second
highest civilian award in India. The Belgian government
conferred upon him the ‘Order of the Crown’ for
designing the Belgian Embassy in New Delhi, a building
that was selected as one of 1000 outstanding buildings
of the 20th century by an international jury.

The artist passed away on 26 March 2020, leaving behind
a rich legacy that helped shape the canon of Indian art.

152

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, NEW DELHI

56

SATISH GUJRAL (1925‒2020)

Untitled

Signed in Devnagari (lower left); signed and dated ‘Satish
Gujral/ 92’ (on the reverse)
1992
Burnt wood, leather, cowrie shell and ceramic beads
Height: 17.75 in (44.8 cm)
Width: 17 in (42.9 cm)
Depth: 6 in (15 cm)

Rs 18,00,000 ‒ 22,00,000
$24,325 ‒ 29,730

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist

153

N S Bendre PROPERTY OF A DISTINGUISHED
Image courtesy of the Bendre family GENTLEMAN, BANGALORE

154 57

N S BENDRE (1910‒1992)

Untitled

Signed and dated in Devnagari (lower left)
1971
Oil on canvas
37 x 31.25 in ( 94.2 x 79.2 cm )

Rs 40,00,000 ‒ 50,00,000
$54,055 ‒ 67,570

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist in the 1970s

N S Bendre is known primarily for his
pointillist landscapes and pastoral scenes,
often featuring women in rural settings.
One of India’s significant Modernists,
he experimented with various styles
throughout his career, and favoured
familiar, simple forms. In the present
lot, the artist depicts two women clad
in traditional, nearly identical clothing,
seated with their heads covered. The soft
colour palette renders the scene with a
tranquillity often seen in the artist’s work.
“For well over half a century, Bendre has
time and again startled artists and art
lovers with his innovative use of colour,
his sensitivity to the play of subtle hues
in nature, and his ability to transfer them
to canvas with unmatched dexterity,
whatever the medium.” (Ram Chatterji,
Bendre: The Painter and the Person,
Mumbai: The Bendre Foundation for Art
and Culture & Indus Corporation, 1990, p.
1) Known for his mastery of painting en
plein air, Bendre effectively created balance
and harmony in his paintings through his
masterful technique and use of colour.

155

58

K K HEBBAR (1911‒1996)

Untitled
Signed and dated ‘Hebbar/ 70’ (lower left)
1970
Oil on canvas
29.75 x 39.75 in (75.8 x 101.2 cm)
Rs 18,00,000 ‒ 22,00,000
$24,325 ‒ 29,730
PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist

156

59

TYEB MEHTA (1925‒2009)

Head

Signed and dated ‘Tyeb 97’ (upper right);
inscribed and dated ‘Head/ 1997’ (on the reverse)
1997
Crayon on paper
24.75 x 19.25 in (63 x 49 cm)

Rs 18,00,000 ‒ 24,00,000 PUBLISHED
$24,325 ‒ 32,435
Yashodhara Dalmia, Tyeb Mehta:
PROVENANCE Triumph of Vision, New Delhi: Vadehra
Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi Art Gallery, 2011, p. 64 (illustrated)

157

60

ZARINA HASHMI (1937‒2020)

Remains of the City

Inscribed, signed and dated ‘12/20, Remains of the
City, Zarina 2001’ (along the lower edge)
2001
Woodcut printed in black on Indian handmade
paper pasted on Arches cover white paper
Print size: 18.5 x 14.75 in (47.3 x 37.7 cm)
Sheet size: 25.75 x 19.75 in (65.5 x 50 cm)

Rs 7,00,000 ‒ 9,00,000
$9,460 ‒ 12,165

Twelfth from a limited edition of twenty

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist
An Eminent Private Collection, New Delhi

158

61

ZARINA HASHMI (1937‒2020)

Exploring the wreck

Inscribed, signed and dated ‘13/25, Exploring the wreck,
Zarina 92’ (along the lower edge)
1992
Etching printed in black on Arches white paper
Print size: 16.75 x 13.25 in (42.5 x 33.6 cm)
Sheet size: 28 x 22.25 in (71.3 x 56.5 cm)

Rs 5,00,000 ‒ 7,00,000
$6,760 ‒ 9,460

Thirteenth from a limited edition of twenty‒five

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, New Delhi
Acquired from the above

159

Manjit Bawa’s sensitive, striking paintings of imagined and real beings stand out against homogenous backgrounds.
His deceptively simple compositions, such as the present lot, draw from a range of mythological, religious, and
visual traditions. The artist’s use of vivid, flat fields of colour, stripped of superfluous details, is stylistically influenced
both by Rajput and Pahari miniature painting and his formal training in silkscreen printing. The artist pares down
the subjects of his paintings to the bare essentials of form and character, negotiating the tentative boundaries
separating reality from the surreal.
Bawa has said that his characters are familiar faces from stories, experiences, memories, and the imagination. “As
far as the figures are concerned, they are figments and fragments of my dream world. The split figures that remain
suspended in space... convey my innermost emotions. Our life is about being suspended in spatial areas.” (Artist
quoted in “Manjit Bawa in Conversation with Ina Puri,” Bhav Bhaav Bhavya: Frames of Eternity, Mumbai: Sakshi
Gallery and Synergy Art Foundation Ltd.; Kolkata: Impresario; New Delhi: Gallery Espace, 1999, p. 6) 
With their rounded, balloon‒like features typical of the artist’s style, the subjects of these figurative works are
nonetheless individualised through details such as facial features, costumes and gestures. Placed against a bright
red, flat background, which fellow artist Jagdish Swaminathan likened to folk theatre backdrops, Bawa succeeds in
creating an image that appears to be in “animated suspension. As the image is revealed, the backdrop itself becomes
the enactment.” (J Swaminathan, “Dogs Too Keep Night Watch,” S Kalidas, Bhavna Bawa et al, Let’s Paint the Sky Red:
Manjit Bawa, New Delhi: Vadehra Art Gallery, pp. 36‒37) 

Manjit Bawa
© Jyoti Bhatt

THE GUY AND HELEN BARBIER FAMILY COLLECTION

The Guy and Helen Barbier Family Collection started in 1978, when Guy Barbier travelled to India to set up Arthur Andersen &
Co. Born out of an interest in and passion for the country at a time when there were few exhibitions and galleries showcasing
contemporary Indian art, the Swiss collection would, over the next few decades, include artworks from the length and breadth
of the country – including the present lot. The Barbiers counted several Indian artists and collectors among their friends, with
whom they corresponded frequently and met on their visits to India. In 1987, noting the absence of contemporary art in the
Festival of India in Geneva, the Barbiers were instrumental in organising and curating such an exhibition – one of the first of
its kind in Europe – featuring works of Indian art from some of the most renowned private collections of the time. 

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, NEW DELHI Untitled, 2004
Saffronart, 5‒6 December 2018, lot 33
62 Sold for Rs 1.2 crores ($174,000)

MANJIT BAWA (1941‒2008)

Untitled

Circa 1980s
Oil on canvas
22 x 24 in (56 x 61 cm)

Rs 60,00,000 ‒ 80,00,000
$81,085 ‒ 108,110

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist at his studio, New Delhi, 1982
Formerly from the Guy and Helen Barbier Family Collection, Switzerland

161

“There is something sad and ridiculous about the band. A legacy from
our erstwhile English rulers, whether official or military in pompous
regalia... the band is a macabre comment on bourgeois existence.”

 KRISHEN KHANNA

162

PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN, MUMBAI

63

KRISHEN KHANNA (b.1925)

Marriage Band

Signed ‘KKhanna’ (lower right); inscribed and signed
‘’’Marriage Band’’/ KKhanna’ (on the reverse)
Oil on canvas
30 x 36 in (76 x 91.4 cm)

Rs 20,00,000 ‒ 25,00,000
$27,030 ‒ 33,785

PROVENANCE
Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi

EXHIBITED
Krishen Khanna: When the band began to play, he packed up
his troubles and marched away…, London: Grosvenor Gallery,
10 June ‒ 10 July 2015

PUBLISHED
Krishen Khanna: When the band began to play, he packed up
his troubles and marched away…, London: Grosvenor Gallery,
2015 (illustrated)

In the early 1970s, Krishen Khanna began painting his famous bandwallah series, inspired
by an incident when he was leaving his studio in Delhi one afternoon, and was held
up by a passing band. The uniformed men wielding large brass musical instruments—a
leftover legacy from the days of the British Raj—rendered almost comical from the
cacophony of their strident music and the garishness of their costumes, particularly
struck the artist. “Against the background of the 18th‒century Garhi fort with its large,
capacious artist studios, the raucous band crammed into the small mean street of Garhi
village. The syncopated tunes intended for the jollification of a baraat (wedding party),
the quotient of assertive maleness and vigour of the accompanying groom's party, the
residual image of the British colonial march past, and sanguine military energy collapsed
into a singular image on that warm Delhi afternoon.” (Gayatri Sinha, “Serenading
Lajwanti,” Krishen Khanna, Norbert Lynton, Gayatri Sinha et al, Krishen Khanna: Images in
My Time, Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing and Hampshire: Lund Humphries, 2007, p. 27)

As with Khanna’s other genre paintings that depict scenes from roadside  dhabas  or
migrant labourers in the backs of trucks, the image of the bandwallah forms a social
commentary on the class divide that continues to exist in urban Indian spaces.
“Positioning himself as sympathetic spectator and a somewhat humorous narrator,
Krishen Khanna has steadily painted the bandwallah; the heroics of the street have been
rendered with a deep humanist sympathy... In their hired uniforms, they resemble the
men in trucks; because of their ceaseless movement they become emblematic of the
volatility of the city.” (Sinha, p. 28)

163

Krishen Khanna’s enduring interest in religious symbolism, particularly Christian imagery, has its roots in his childhood,
and began with a reproduction of Da Vinci’s Last Supper that his father brought home. His attempt to replicate it—at
the mere age of seven—was both a first attempt at making art and the origin of his preoccupation with the theme. His
education at the Imperial Services College in Windsor, which was largely Christian in its values, and repeated visits to the
National Gallery in London, where he encountered Piero della Francesca’s Baptism of Christ, led to further fascination
with the subject. This understanding would only be deepened during a six‒month trip he took to London, Paris and Italy
in 1954, which expanded his knowledge of Western, particularly religious, art.

After this initial fascination, Khanna returned to Christ‒themed paintings in 1966, beginning with a Pietà. They were
often allegorical, in Khanna’s vocabulary, for the political turmoil that emerged during the Emergency in India in the
1970s. “Through a lack of physical detail, the paintings aspire towards a quality of timelessness... Khanna is probably the
first painter of the unromanticised subaltern who does not lend it the redeeming rhythms of his contemporary Husain
or else the abstracted spaces and forms of Tyeb Mehta. The manacled Christ... or the rough men supping with Christ
at Emmaus show a kinship with his exhausted labourers sleeping beneath their dusty trucks." (Gayatri Sinha, Krishen
Khanna: The Embrace of Love, Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing, 2005, p. 17)

Often these works focussed on the less dramatic scenes from Christ’s days on earth, such as the present lot depicting
Thomas the Apostle with Christ after his resurrection. This episode, which appears in the Gospel of John (20:24‒29),

Krishen Khanna and M F Husain, circa 1970s
© Karan Khanna

states that Thomas, one of the Twelve Apostles, was The subject of the present lot, Thomas the
sceptical that Christ had resurrected and appeared Apostle with Christ, has been a popular
before the other ten apostles, demanding proof of this theme in art since pre‒Renaissance times and
miracle. A week later, Christ appeared to him, and said: depicted in various interpretations and styles.
“Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands… and be
not faithless, but believing.” Thomas, his doubts finally Luca Signorelli, Christ and the Doubting
quelled, expresses his belief in his lord again. The final Thomas, 1477‒1482
verse describes Christ reiterating the idea of pure faith,
who says: “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou Caravaggio, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas,
hast believed: blessed  [are]  they that have not seen, 1601‒1602
and [yet] have believed.” This episode has been a popular
subject in art since pre‒Renaissance times, depicted in a
diverse range of theological interpretations.

According to Norbert Lynton, Khanna’s paintings
depicting Christian imagery were narrative scenes, that
“Once seen, they are not easily forgotten: they burn
their way into out store of significant images. The lack
of ameliorating colours and expressive brushwork,
the lack of all sweetening or distraction from the key
performance, gives this art an incisive and enduring
character… Shunning all supporting action and staging,
Khanna turns these narrative events into timeless,
location‒less emblems that reflect on our own time
and condemn all humanity.” (Krishen Khanna, Norbert
Lynton, Gayatri Sinha et al, Krishen Khanna: Images in My
Time, Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing and Hampshire:
Lund Humphries, 2007, pp. 22‒23)

The artist’s preoccupation with Christian imagery has been a recurring theme
in his works since the 1960s.

Doubting Thomas and Jesus, 2005 Pieta Rubens, The Incredulity of St Thomas,
Saffronart, 10‒11 May 2006, lot 66 Saffronart, Mumbai, 1613‒1615 (detail)
24 February 2016, lot 60

165

PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED EXHIBITED
PRIVATE COLLECTION, MUMBAI Krishen Khanna: Exhibition of Paintings And Drawings from
1958 to 2001, New Delhi: Kumar Gallery, 4 ‒ 14 October 2001
64 Spirit Set Free: Golden Jubilee (1955‒2005), New Delhi: Kumar
Gallery, 28 October ‒ 30 December 2005
KRISHEN KHANNA (b.1925)
PUBLISHED
Doubting Thomas with Jesus Krishen Khanna: Exhibition of Paintings And Drawings from
1958 to 2001, New Delhi: Kumar Gallery, p. 34 (illustrated)
Signed ‘KKhanna’ (lower right); inscribed, signed and Keshav Malik, Spirit Set Free: Golden Jubilee (1955‒2005), New
dated ‘KRISHEN KHANNA/ KKhanna/ ‘’THOMAS Delhi: Kumar Gallery, 2005, p. 100 (illustrated)
FEELING HIS DOUBT’’/ 1978/ DOUBTING THOMAS
WITH JESUS’’’ (on the reverse)
1978
Oil on canvas
62.75 x 36.75 in (159.7 x 93.6 cm)

Rs 90,00,000 ‒ 1,20,00,000
$121,625 ‒ 162,165

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, New Delhi

The artist and Tarun Kumar with the present lot in the background at The present lot published in Krishen Khanna: Exhibition
the India Art Summit, New Delhi, 2011 of Paintings And Drawings from 1958 to 2001, New Delhi:
Images courtesy of Kumar Gallery Kumar Gallery, 2001, p. 34 and Keshav Malik, Spirit Set
Free: Golden Jubilee (1955‒2005), New Delhi: Kumar Gallery,
166 2005, p. 100

167

65 B Prabha’s works were inspired by her desire to portray the inner
lives of women from different strata of society. Educated at the
B PRABHA (1933‒2001) Nagpur School of Art and the Sir J J School of Art in Mumbai,
she developed her own idiom of elegant, almost regal female
Untitled figures accentuated by colourful sarees and accessories that
Signed and dated in Devnagari (upper left) often reflected their background and lifestyle.
1983
Oil on canvas The artist’s earlier works were uniquely abstract, as seen in lot 8
29.5 x 24.5 in (75.1 x 62.5 cm) from 1967. The freely drawn lines, possibly representing sparse,
Rs 12,00,000 ‒ 15,00,000 wintry trees, are surrounded by rapid brushstrokes of blue, red
$16,220 ‒ 20,275 and white that stand out against a calmer background. The
PROVENANCE leitmotif of B Prabha’s oeuvre, however, was her compassionate
An Important Private Collection, Mumbai depiction of rustic, rural women. In the present lot, she
Acquired from the above articulates the figure through a carefully modulated palette of
deep, earthy tones contrasting with the bright colours of the
B Prabha woman’s attire. The graceful posture of her subject, who is
Image courtesy of Nayana Sarmalkar seated with her wares, portrays a sense of solitude.

Speaking about her body of work, B Prabha once said, “The core
theme of my paintings was always women and their sufferings. I
have seen them and observed them closely. I did not just think
of the urban woman but also those in rural areas, who were
as creative. They exude so many emotions to portray.” (Artist
quoted in "A peep into B Prabha's oeuvre and her inspirations,"
theartstrust.com, 2011, online) B Prabha’s works juxtapose the
struggle and circumstances of these women with their inherent
beauty and strength, speaking volumes about the honesty and
dignity of village life.

168

169

66

A A ALMELKAR (1920‒1982)

Untitled (Two Women)
Watercolour and gouache on paper
8.25 x 9.5 in (21 x 24 cm)
Rs 1,00,000 ‒ 2,00,000
$1,355 ‒ 2,705

PROVENANCE
Pundole’s, Mumbai, 11 March 2018, lot 34
Acquired from the above

170

67

THOTA VAIKUNTAM (b.1942)

Untitled
Signed and dated in Telugu (lower right)
2014
Acrylic on canvas
35.25 x 23.5 in (89.5 x 59.8 cm)
Rs 10,00,000 ‒ 15,00,000
$13,515 ‒ 20,275
PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist
An Important Private Collection, New Delhi

“Women were and are the most important part of the society…
Their strength and liveliness was what inspired the society back in
the day and that is the reason behind their presence in my works.”

 THOTA VAIKUNTAM

171

PROPERTY OF A LADY, MUMBAI

68

BADRI NARAYAN (1929‒2013)

Houses with a Tiled Path

Initialled in Devnagari (lower right); inscribed and dated ‘’’Houses with A
Tiled Path’’/ by Badri Narayan/ 1988’ (on the reverse)
1988
Watercolour on paper
17.75 x 17.5 in (45 x 44.6 cm)
Rs 4,00,000 ‒ 6,00,000
$5,410 ‒ 8,110

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist

172

69

F N SOUZA (1924‒2002)

Untitled
Signed and dated ‘Souza/ 58’ (centre left)
1958
Felt tip pen on paper pasted on card
9 x 5.5 in (22.6 x 13.9 cm)
Rs 2,00,000 ‒ 3,00,000
$2,705 ‒ 4,055
PROVENANCE
Saffronart, Mumbai, 13 March 2018, lot 1 b)
An Important Private Collection, Mumbai

front

reverse

173

70 PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist
AKBAR PADAMSEE (1928‒2020) Private Collection, Maharashtra

Untitled PUBLISHED
Marta Jakimowicz ed., Akbar Padamsee: Works on Paper ‒ Critical
Signed and dated ‘PADAMSEE/ ‘92’ (lower right) Boundaries, Mumbai: Pundole Art Gallery, 2004, p. 114 (illustrated)
1992
Watercolour on paper
21.25 x 14.5 in (54 x 37 cm)

Rs 2,00,000 ‒ 3,00,000
$2,705 ‒ 4,055

174

71

GANESH PYNE (1937‒2013)

Untitled
Signed and dated in Bengali (lower right)
2002
Pastel on paper
12.25 x 10.75 in (31.2 x 27.6 cm)
Rs 9,00,000 ‒ 12,00,000
$12,165 ‒ 16,220
PROVENANCE
Acquired from Sarla Art Gallery, Chennai

175

“I strive for something iconic and G Ravinder Reddy’s fibreglass
monumental that transcends the sculptures of painted, embellished
boundaries of culture, nature and female heads with kohl‒lined eyes
geography.”  G RAVINDER REDDY and elaborately shaped hair are a
striking combination of tradition
Image courtesy of Barla Bhargav and kitsch. Inspired by classical
176 depictions of goddesses, the copper
tone of the present lot is reminiscent
of the gilded images usually seen
in South Indian temples. Acutely
aware of form and anatomy, Reddy
employs a minimalist style in
depicting the faces of these women,
instead focusing his attention on
smaller details, such as the hair
ornaments, earrings and nose rings,
and vibrantly painted lips. The bright
palette Reddy uses to articulate
these elements is typical of modern
Indian street art and ensures that
these sculptures have their place
in the idiom of contemporary Pop
Art. “Reddy brings Indian goddesses
into the contemporary world,
turns contemporary women into
goddesses, and traces the popular
culture path between goddess and
pinup.” (Margery King, Popular
Cultures, Pittsburgh: The Andy
Warhol Museum, 2001, online)

Reddy began making these iconic
heads in the mid‒1990s as a visual
expression of his desire to blend the
old with the new. In his depiction
of these heads, he pays tribute to
feminine sensuality, fecundity, and
power. The present lot is of a smaller
scale than his typical monumental
works, and offers a sense of intimacy.
Its bold, frontal gaze—a careful and
deliberate choice by Reddy—leaves
the viewer transfixed by the sheer
power of the sculpture.

72

G RAVINDER REDDY (b.1956)

Muthyalu

Signed and dated ‘G. Ravinder Reddy/ Nov, 2007’
(inside the hollow of the head)
2007
Polyester resin fibreglass, copper and silver foil
Height: 18.5 in (47.2 cm)
Width: 17.25 in (44 cm)
Depth: 11.25 (28.6 cm)

Rs 35,00,000 ‒ 45,00,000
$47,300 ‒ 60,815

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist

177



“I have been quite dogmatic about using [bindis]. But I feel that by
the very act of repetition, I have made them my own language. I
play with its form and content to create different layers of meaning.”

 BHARTI KHER

Bharti Kher
© Manisha Gera Baswani

73

BHARTI KHER (b.1969)

A Love Letter
Signed, dated and inscribed ‘Bharti Kher 2009,
“A Love Letter”’ (on the reverse)
2009
Bindis on painted board
74 x 98 in (188 x 248.9 cm)
Rs 75,00,000 ‒ 95,00,000
$101,355 ‒ 128,380

PROVENANCE
Acquired from Hauser & Wirth

Best known for her unusual use of bindis, Bharti
Kher’s work explores the spaces between belonging
and classification. Though she grew up in the United
Kingdom and moved to India much later, she resists
being identified as a diaspora artist, preferring instead
to “play with the ideas of misinterpretation of culture,
or the idea of the authentic.” (Artist quoted in a video
interview, Kochi Muziris Biennale 2014, online)

Derived from the Sanskrit term for a point, the bindi
is associated with the Hindu concept of the third eye
and is traditionally worn by married women. It has now,
however, become a mass‒produced fashion accessory,
and it is this juxtaposition of the symbolic and the material
that Kher explores, using repetition and contradictions
to create visually striking compositions. “Employing the
bindi as a central motif in her work, Kher uses this tiny
object to transform the surfaces of both her sculptures
and her paintings. Sensual abstract designs created by
the bindi swirl together to form extraordinary textured
surfaces... and the visually arresting compositions of
the paintings.” (“Bharti Kher,” An Absence of Assignable
Cause, New York: Jack Shainman Gallery, 2007, online)

180

181

The present lot is part of Surendran Nair’s long‒
standing Cuckoonebulopolis series that he has
worked on since the early 2000s. Borrowing the
term from The Birds, a comedy by 4th century BC
Greek playwright Aristophanes, the works in this
series reference Cloud‒Cuckoo‒Land – a utopian
city built by birds – and the modern interpretation
of the term as a romantic notion of idealism.

Nair’s vibrant paintings are influenced by classical
imagery and mythology, as well as contemporary
styles, kitsch and pop culture. Imbued with
his unique sense of humour, they are gentle
subversions of expected symbols, resulting in a
pictorial language that produces entirely new
cultural meanings. Theatre is central to Nair’s
art, stemming from his childhood exposure to
Kathakali dance performances, and many of
his works depict male figures as though posing
in a play. In the present lot, each box – perhaps
reminiscent of the game from which the work
acquires its title – features an identical hybrid
of a man and a swan, as though paused mid‒
transformation. Each character is distinguishable
only by his adornments, and the titles provide a
name or context. Describing the work as “a poster
design for an imaginary vaudeville” below, the
artist underscores the elements of theatricality and
humour. 

According to Ranjit Hoskote, Nair’s “fascination
with the ceremonial of theatre is manifest: we
see it in his evocation of the ritual of making up
and presenting oneself in a persona, literally the
mask of another personality; in the gestures of
self‒transformation that his characters perform,
allowing for passage from one shape or identity to
another; and in the ensemble action of animated
visual image and stimulating text that characterises
his paintings.” (“The Openness of Secrecy: Soliloquy
and Conversation in the Art of Surendran Nair,”
Itinerant Mythologies: Surendran Nair, Mumbai:
Sakshi Gallery, 2008, p. 8)

74 PROVENANCE
Saffronart, 16‒17 March 2011, lot 63
SURENDRAN NAIR (b.1956) Saffronart, 18‒19 June 2014, lot 98
Acquired from the above
Hopscotch (Cuckoonebulopolis)

Inscribed, signed and dated ‘SURENDRAN NAIR/ Surendran/
HOPSCOTCH (CUCKOONEBULOPOLIS) ‒ 2002’ (on the reverse)
2002
Oil on canvas
70.75 x 70.75 in (180 x 180 cm)

Rs 30,00,000 ‒ 40,00,000
$40,545 ‒ 54,055

183

75

JAGANNATH PANDA (b.1970)

Untitled

Signed indistinctly and dated ‘16’ (lower left);
inscribed, dated and signed indistinctly ‘JAGANNATH
PANDA/ 2016’ (on the reverse)
2016
Acrylic and fabric on canvas
24 x 24 in (61 x 61 cm)

Rs 5,00,000 ‒ 7,00,000
$6,760 ‒ 9,460

PROVENANCE
Acquired directly from the artist
An Important Private Collection, New Delhi

184

END OF SALE

2000 • Exhibition at Pao Galleries, Hong Kong (March)
• Largest exhibition of modern Indian art with over 200 artworks by 12 Modernists at the Metropolitan

Pavilion, New York, with Pundole Art Gallery (May)
• Los Angeles show of Indian Contemporary Fine Art at Laguna Beach, with Apparao Galleries, featuring works

by artists-in-residence F N Souza and Baiju Parthan (September)

2001

Minal with F N Souza Vijay and Sunita Choraria

Saffronart is founded by Minal Covers of Modern Indian Art and Indian Dinesh with Deepak Shahdadpuri
and Dinesh Vazirani and the Contemporary Fine Art exhibition catalogues
company goes live with a website F N Souza at the Annual Winter Online
in April, allowing users to buy Dinesh with Sharan Apparao and Saffronart LA show Auction Catalogue
art online instantly and ship the late Jehangir Nicholson
virtually anywhere in the world. In
December, Saffronart conducts its
inaugural online auction, which is
a resounding success. It is the first
time globally, during an art auction,
that bidders can view comparable
prices for works previously sold, read
condition reports, and research artist
information prior to entering a bid.
This new format of online auctions
brings transparency and a change
in approach to art and auctions,
ushering in a period of explosive
growth in the online space.

Minal with Shobo Bhattacharya and Alka with Parag Patel
Kalpana Raina

Inaugural auction catalogue Dinesh with Baiju Parthan and Shireen Gandhy Dadiba Pundole Khorshed Pundole

• Strategic partnership with Taj Hotels in Mumbai and New Delhi for May and December auctions • Online exhibition of over 525 works on paper
• Exhibition of 30 works by Ram Kumar at the Indo Center in New York, with Pundole Art Gallery (May-July) by 150 artists (February-March)
• Exhibition of over 130 works of modern Indian art at the Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, with Pundole Art
• Opening of Mumbai gallery with a seminal
Gallery (September-October) exhibition of works on paper by F N Souza
(November)
2002
2003

Minal with S H Raza and Sujata Bajaj (background) Shirin and Jehangir Sabavala Rameshwar Broota and Nitin Bhayana

The late Dinesh Jhaveri Dinesh with Rajiv and Roohi Savara Dinesh with Sumeet Chopra

Amrita Jhaveri Christopher Davidge Parthiv, Amrita and Tanil Kilachand Dinesh with Uma Jain

Deepak Moorjani, Nanni Bahl and Pradip Burman Shamina Talyarkhan and M F Husain Minal with Drs. Thirumalai and
Lakshmi Rajgopal

Ram Kumar exhibition catalogue Ram Kumar Renu Modi Haresh Chaganlal

• Saffronart comes to New York • Paths of Progression, an exhibition of contemporary Indian art featuring 12 artists in New Delhi, Mumbai,
• Generation - I, an exhibition of contemporary New York and Singapore, with Bodhi Art Gallery (January-February)

Indian art in Mumbai, with Guild Art Gallery • Exhibition of works by S H Raza (June-July), Manu Parekh (July) and Krishen Khanna (August)
(March) • Major retrospective show of over 40 works by F N Souza in New York and London, with Grosvenor Gallery

2004 (October-November)

2005

Sheila and Vivek Bulchandani Tyeb Mehta, Krishen Khanna and
Akbar Padamsee

Dinesh with Rajiv Priyam and Gayatri Anu with Marguerite and Kent Charugundla Minal with Husain and Raza
Chaudhri Jhaveri

Punya and Anu with Masanori Fukuoka Shelley Souza and Conor Macklin Reena Saini, Jitish Kallat and Kekoo Gandhy

Mr Burman with Vijay Kumar Aggarwal and Nitin
Bhayana

Jayasri Burman and Paresh Maity F N Souza, Lovers, 1955, grosses Rs 6.53 crores ($1.48 million). One of the first Indian artworks to cross
$1 million

• First standalone auction of contemporary • First ever exhibition of modern and with Osborne Samuel and Berkeley Square
Indian art (March) contemporary Indian sculpture in Mumbai Gallery (March)
(January-February)
• Exhibition of 20 recent works by Jagannath • Exhibition of works by G R Iranna (February) and
Panda (June-July) • Banaras – Eternity Watches Time, an exhibition bronze sculptures by Himmat Shah (May) at the
of works by Manu Parekh at the Jehangir Art Berkeley Square Gallery in London
• Shadow Garden, an exhibition of works by Gallery in Mumbai, with Osborne Samuel and
Manisha Parekh at the Berkeley Square Gallery Berkeley Square Gallery (February-March) • Opening of New York Gallery on Madison Avenue
in London (September) with a retrospective show of 50 works by S H
• Retrospective show of 38 works by Krishen Raza, with Berkeley Square Gallery (September-
• Winter Sale achieves total sale of $16 million Khanna at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, October)

2006 2007

Dinesh with Jogen Chowdhury Raza at the retrospective show in Saffronart New Minal and Dinesh with Susan Bean
York

Dinesh with Bharti Kher and Subodh Gupta Minal and Dinesh with Rajiv and Anu with Anurag Bhargava and Anne Friberg
Payal Chaudhri

Dinesh Moorjani and Ramanan Raghavendran The Harvard Business School publishes a case study on Saffronart

Dinesh with Peter Osborne Ram Rahman and Rajeev Lochan Atul Dodiya

Dinesh with Tyeb Mehta Dinesh with Navin Kumar The late Amol Vadehra and Ayesha Thapar

• Opening of London Gallery on New Bond Street • Launch of the Saffronart MobileApp
• Emergence, an exhibition of works by Sujata Bajaj in London, with Osborne Samuel and Berkeley Square • Bapu, an exhibition celebrating Mahatma

Gallery (March-April) Gandhi in Mumbai (January-February)
• First ever auction of fine jewels (October) • A New Vanguard, an exhibition on
• Exhibition of over 40 works by F N Souza in London and New York, with Grosvenor Gallery (September-
contemporary Indian art in New York, with
December) Guild Art Gallery (September)

2008 2009

Karan Johar and Shobha De Nish Bhutani and Cyrus Snehal Parikh Akbar Padamsee and Saryu Doshi
Oshidar

Kavita Singh and Meena Hingorani Shalini Sawhney, Amit Vadehra and Dinesh with Manish Maker
Gaurav Karan

Minal and Dinesh featured in Art + Auction’s Subodh Gupta, Untitled, 2006, grosses Rs 5.71 crores ($1.4 MobileApp launch Praful Shah
Power Issue million), a world auction record for the artist

Saffronart in London Kent and Marguerite Charugundla

First auction of Fine Jewels and Watches Minal and Dinesh with Karen Stone Talwar and Preethi Krishnan
Mr. and Mrs. Bhupendra Mehta

2009 • Launch of Prime Properties
• Retrospective show of Krishen Khanna at Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi (January-February)

2010

Ritu Prakash Dinesh with Kiran Nadar Maithili Parekh and Dara Mehta

Gopal Vazirani with Jeroo Mango Padma Vazirani with Rustom and Laila Jehangir Anita and Romesh Sobti

Russell Mehta Vivek Nayyar First edition of Prime Krishen Khanna

Properties retrospective catalogue

Dinesh with Raisa and Aqueela Husain Dinesh with Purrshottam Bhaggeria

Arpita Singh, Wish Dream, 2000-01, grosses Rs 9.56
crores ($2.2 million), a world auction record for a
female Indian artist and a global auction record

Minal with Saryu Doshi and Pheroza Godrej Roshini Vadehra, Sonia Bellaney and guest

• Opening of New Delhi gallery with the first ever retrospective on V S Gaitonde (January-February) • Saffronart’s first ever auction of the
• ARTiculate 2011, an exhibition of contemporary photography, in London, with Pratham UK (October) Impressionists (February)
• Saffronart’s first ever auction of antiquities and miniatures (December)
• Saffronart’s first ever auction of carpets and
2011 rugs (March)

• Saffronart’s first ever auction of Art Deco
furniture and collectibles (October)

2012

Mukeeta and Pramit Jhaveri Geetha Mehra Raoul Thackersey Fatima Mahdi Karan and Lekha Poddar

Dinesh with Ebrahim Alkazi Dinesh with Siddharth Gupta Dinesh with Tanuj Berry

Dinesh with Vivek Burman and Ashish Anand Ram Shroff and Eenakshi and Sujan Parikh First auction of furniture First auction of
First auction of antiquities
Tyeb Mehta, Untitled and collectibles carpets and rugs
(Kali), 1998, grosses Rs
5.7 crores
($1.3 million),
the highest auction bid
placed from
a mobile app

Anu with Jane Gowers de Boer

Opening of New Delhi gallery with the first ever retrospective on V S Gaitonde Minal with Manoj Israni

• ARTiculate 2012 in London, with Pratham UK • Saffronart’s first ever live auction in • ALIVE, Saffronart’s first ever contemporary Indian
(October) Mumbai with over a 100 works by F N Souza art Day Sale with no reserve prices (February)
(September). It is the first in India to allow
• First standalone auction of Pakistani art both room and online bidding. • Exhibition and publication of Ode to the
(November) Monumental with Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai
• Launch of StoryLTD.com (March), and Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi
2012 (April)
2013
• Saffronart’s first ever live auction in New Delhi
(September)

2014

Deepak Gupta Shumita and Arani Bose Dinesh with Dipti and Raj Salgaocar

Minal with Priyam Jhaveri Abha with Rajeev Samant Jehangir Sabavala, S H Raza, Haut de
Minal with Sheena and Raj Kataria The Flight into Cagnes, 1951, grosses Rs
Sophie Ahmed Egypt – I, 1971, 5.75 crores ($942,623),
Natasha Poonawala grosses Rs 3 crores a world auction record
($500,000), a world for a work on paper by a
auction record for the modern Indian artist
artist at the time

Nandish Kilachand Saffronart’s first live
auction

Ode to the Monumental exhibition

Vijay Kumar Aggarwal and Umesh Gaur

Minal with Tarana Sawhney Navroze Godrej

Anu and Abha with Yogesh Mehta Minal with Rajshree Pathy and Pinky Reddy

• Saffronart conducts a live fundraiser auction • Expressions, an exhibition with works by Himmat Shah in New York (March-April)
for the Kochi Muziris Biennale in Mumbai (April) • World record price achieved for Akbar Padamsee’s Greek Landscape at Saffronart’s Evening Sale in New

• Saffronart’s first ever live auction in Bangalore Delhi (September)
(April)
2016
• Saffronart launches flagship space in Mumbai,
with two live auctions F N Souza: A Life in Line
and Classical Indian Art

2015

Minal with Abhishek Poddar Minal with Vijay Kumar Aggarwal Abha, Minal and Amit with Padma Vazirani, Harsh
Dinesh with Dheeraj Hinduja Singh

Minal with Kaval Mirchandani and Mayank Dhanuka Dinesh with Prashant Hingorani and Mohan Puri

Dinesh and Punya at Saffronart’s live auction in Dinesh with Conor Macklin and Krishen Khanna Minal with Amanda Maede and Radhika Piramal
Mumbai

Anupam Poddar Rakesh Kapoor Dinesh with Dinesh with Rajeeb and Nadia Samdani and
Anu with Dipti Mathur Bhavna Kakar Kiran Nadar

Akbar Padamsee,
Greek Landscape, 1960,
grosses Rs 19.19 crores
($2.9 million), a world
record for the artist

• Exhibition of over 30 works by Krishen • Traversing the Landscapes of the Mind, an • Mystical Moments, an exhibition of recent
Khanna in Mumbai (December-January) exhibition with over 70 works by Ram Kumar in works by Senaka Senanayake, in New Delhi
New Delhi (January) and Mumbai (March) with Grosvenor Gallery (January)
2016
• Saffronart launches The Timeless Legacy of Indian • World record price achieved for Tyeb Mehta’s
Jewels, the first ever jewellery conference in India, Kali, 1989 in Saffronart’s 200th auction (June)
as part of its Dialogues in Art series (October)
2018
• Saffronart conducts a live fundraiser auction for
the Kochi Muziris Biennale in Mumbai, with the
Kochi Biennale Foundation (October)

2017

Dinesh with Siddharth Gupta and Ashu Jain Dinesh with Dr. and Mrs. Chowbey Dinesh with Dr. Thirumalai Rajgopal

Minal with Manish Maker Minal with Priya Kanodia Rohit Singh Dinesh, Anu and Joe with Nandish and
Parthiv Kilachand

Amal and Nissar Allana with Akbar Padamsee at Minal with Francesca Cartier-Brickell Minal with Girish Shahane
the book launch of Ebrahim Alkazi: Directing Art

Rahul Jain with guests Minal with Abhishek Somany Dinesh and Shaheen with Saryu and Rohita Doshi
Hugo Weihe with Reena Lath and Shanti Chopra
V S Gaitonde,
Untitled, 1963, Minal with Gurcharan Das
grosses approximately
Rs 20 crores
($3.17 million)

• Exhibition and publication of Souza in the 40s, with Grosvenor Gallery in London, Sunaparanta Goa Centre • Saffronart conducts Art Rises for Kerala,
for the Arts, and Saffronart New Delhi (December-January) a live fundraiser auction for Kerala Flood
Relief in Kerala, with the Kochi Biennale
2018 Foundation (January)

2019

Minal with Deepak Moorjani Abha and Dinesh with Priya Paul, Tarana Sawhney, Abha with Rajeev Samant, Taimur Hassan and
Shalini Passi and Nanki Sood Dara Mehta

Dinesh with Kavita Singh and Sonam Kapoor Nakul Chawla, Uday Jain and Pankaj Sahni Shaheen with Jaiveer and Reeva Johal

Alka with Gopal and Padma Vazirani Minal and Dinesh with Kiran Nadar and Projjal Dutta Saffronart’s Spring Live Auction on behalf of the
Income Tax Department, Government of India

Dinesh with Masanori Fukuoka and Olga Joe with Ashvin Rajagopalan Dinesh with officers of the Income Tax Department,
Pankaj Sahni, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna Government of India
Tyeb Mehta, Kali,
1989, grosses Minal with Ajay Vaghani
Rs 26.4 crores
($4 million),
a world record
price at Saffronart’s
200th auction

• Remembering Ram Kumar, a posthumous retrospective exhibition of works by Ram Kumar (February)
• Saffronart conducts a live auction on behalf of the Income Tax Department, Government of India (March)
• Ganpati, an exhibition of works by Sujata Bajaj in London (May)
• Dialogues in Art returns with the second edition of the jewellery conference Mapping a Legacy of Indian Jewels (October)
• Manu Parekh: Recent Paintings, an exhibition of 42 works by Manu Parekh in New Delhi, with the Lalit Kala Akademi (November)

2019

Dinesh with Jai Danani Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal with Rajiv Saini Dinesh with Conor Macklin, Isheta, Raj, Vikram and
Dipti Salgaocar

Punya with Amit Khanna Minal with Dinesh and Abha with Nitya and Uday Khemka Abha with Nish and Nandita Bhutani, Priya and
Kalyani Chawla Sheila Jhaveri

Rashesh Shah Sunit Kumar Jain Dinesh, Minal and Abha with Conor Macklin, Dinesh with Amrita and Priya Jhaveri
Zahraa Saifullah and Taimur Hassan Punya and Joe at the Day Sale in New Delhi

V S Gaitonde, Untitled,
1982 grosses Rs 26.9
crores ($3.8 million), one
of the top three most
expensive paintings by
the artist sold in India

Minal with Dr. Usha Minal with Maharani
Balakrishnan Radhikaraje Gaekwad

Raja Ravi Varma, The Maharaja of Travancore welcoming
Richard Temple‒Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and
Chandos, Governor‒General of Madras (1875‒80), on
his official visit to Trivandram, 1881, grosses Rs 16.1
crores ($2.3 million), one of the top two most expensive
paintings by the artist sold in India

Arun Vadehra with Kamini and Karan Khanna

• The Symbolism of Swaminathan: A Journey Through the Years, an exhibition of works by Jagdish Swaminathan in New Delhi (January)
• Reopening of Mumbai gallery space with a live auction on behalf of the Directorate of Enforcement, Government of India, with world record price achieved for a work by

M F Husain in this sale (March)
• Saffronart conducts an online fundraiser auction for COVID-19 relief (April)
• Saffronart launches Partner Galleries with Chatterjee & Lal and Sakshi Gallery in Mumbai and Dhoomimal Gallery and Shrine Empire in New Delhi (July)

2020

Dinesh and Minal with the officers of the Dinesh with Ritu Jaggia Dinesh with
Directorate of Enforcement Vikram Chellaram

Anurag Bhargava and Jyotsna Siddharth Kasliwal, Roshika Kumari Singh and Dinesh with Gaurav Karan, Pankaj Sahni, Uday Jain,
Samir Kasliwal Nakul Chawla and Amit Vadehra
Dinesh with Raj Kejriwal
Dinesh with Brahmal Vasudevan

Minal and Abha with Manoj Israni

Dinesh with Ravi Goenka Dinesh with Harish Ahuja and Naresh Gujral Press coverage of Saffronart’s Spring
Live Auction on behalf of the Directorate
of Enforcement, Government of India

Minal and Punya with Sujoy Bose Uday Jain and Puneet Shah The Saffronart Team

COMING SOON

Online Auction of

FINE JEWELS

— October 2020 —

A Diamond 'Sunburst' Brooch, sold for Rs 19.5 lakhs in
Saffronart's Online Auction of Fine Jewels on 15-16 October 2019

Contact us
[email protected]
Mumbai +91 22 6855 4100 | New Delhi +91 11 2436 9415

 CONFERENCES  Over the last 20 years, Saffronart has not only led the market, but
also fostered an environment of innovation and thought leadership
within the art and cultural arenas. As part of this focus, Saffronart
created Dialogues in Art – a platform for discussion, education and
exchange on ideas, concepts and scholarship. In 2017, the company
hosted the first jewellery conference of its kind, to be held not only
globally, but more significantly, in India. With the subcontinent
being a key nodal point globally for jewels and jewellery over the
last several centuries, it is only fitting that the discussion and focus
returns to India. Encouraged by its overwhelming response, a
second edition was held in October 2019, and we look forward to
organising future biennial editions.

SPEAKERS CONFERENCE DAYS

2017 CONFERENCE

2019 CONFERENCE

200