MF Husain's Voices sets new benchmark for artist; sold at Rs 18.5 cr

The surprise, is not that it took so long to get to this point, but that Voices has established a benchmark at a time of severe financial distress

When M F Husain’s painting,Voices, sold for Rs 18.5 crore on Sunday night, the surprise was not that it set a new benchmark for the artist but that it took so long to get here. Husain, a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group, had created a monopoly around his work from the 1950s till the time of his death in 2011. For seven decades, he was the face of modern Indian art. Everyone wanted a painting by Husain – they still do. AstaGuru’s decision to conduct an auction consisting solely of Husain’s work might have seemed a tad foolhardy