Husain, Souza works in Mumbai sale

Iconic works by FN Souza, MF Husain and SH Raza will go under the hammer.

Mumbai, June 29: At a time when Indian art is doing relatively well in auctions abroad, iconic works by FN Souza, MF Husain and SH Raza among others will go under the hammer here tomorrow at a sale with a total estimate of Rs 22-28 crore.Osian`s Indian Modern and Contemporary Art auction, comprising 58 lots, will bring together a remarkable range of historically significant masterpieces of fine art by Indian artists.

The auction`s repertoire also includes works by masters like V S Gaitonde, Ramkumar, Jamini Roy, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Ganesh Pyne and contemporary artists such as Bharti Kher, Baiju Parthan and Atul Dodiya among others. The highlights of the auction include two abstract works by Gaitonde that are highly characteristic of his style and estimated at Rs 1.6-2 crore and Rs 2.4-3 crore respectively, a vintage Metascape by Padamsee and Ramkumar`s Varanasi Series. Commenting on the collection, Osian`s founder chairman Neville Tuli said, "To place together such an exceptional collection during these relative conservative times is very difficult and rare. The auction will clearly demonstrate the strength of the Indian art market in the country." Works by Indian artists are having a wonderful run at recent auctions including Christie`s and Sotheby`s and sending a very positive and encouraging message to the market. Bureau Report