Delhi to get peek at works ahead of Christie's auction

Delhi art lovers are in for a treat as some selected works from Christie's debut auction in India at Mumbai later this month are set to be brought to the national capital. The art works will be open for public viewing Dec 7-9.

Of 83 works to go under the hammer Dec 19 in Mumbai, some rare works by modern artists like Vasudeo S. Gaitonde's 1949 miniature painting "Landscape", Tyeb Mehta's popular "Mahisasura", M.F. Husain's "Kerala" and S.H. Raza's "Bindu" will be on display at the Taj Mahal Hotel as a preview for art connoisseurs in Delhi.

Most of the these works are from the personal collection of the late Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy, Mumbai-based gallerists.

Apart from this, six artists -- Rabindranath, Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy and Amrita Sher-Gil -- whose works are defined as "National Art Treasures" will also be offered for view, besides the 83 works.

"The art market is going strong, and we have seen art growing in India. It is a big milestone for us and we are keen on developing the market here," Hugo Weihe, Christie's international director of Asian art, said at a press conference Friday.

"Our collectors have a strong base in India, we want them to bid in local currency. Our presence here will make it easier for collectors to collect art," he said.

Weihe also spoke about raising the bar in the field, and expressed hope that more people would join the endeavour as collectors.

"There are some rare gems on display and we have priced them reasonably and conservatively," he said.

The estimated price of the paintings ranges from Rs.60,000 to Rs.7.5 crore.

Also, the choice of venue for the Mumbai auction is the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

"We have maintained a strong commitment to India's cultural legacy through the preservation of historic palaces and patronage of leading artists. We also have an enviable collection from names like Anjolie Ela Menon and Jamini Roy," said Satyajeet Krishnan, general manager, Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi.

"We are delighted to partner with Christie's as they launch their first auction in the country and look forward to hosting many such events in future," he said.