MF Husain’s contribution celebrated Online, auction painting sold for a record 18.5 crore
Russia Titled ‘Husain’ this auction will feature an archive of the Artist’s journey.
Mumbai, India:
Maqbool Fida Husain is the master of modern Indian painting. Recently celebrating Husain’s legacy AstaGuru organised an auction house based in Mumbai in its online auction shined spotlight on Maqbool Fida Husain’s artistic legacy.
Titled ‘Husain’, the celebratory online auction features a series that encloses the journey of the Padma Vibhushan award winning artist. Seen as one of the most prominent and decorated Indian creators and popularly known as India’s Picasso, Maqbool Fida Husain’s oeuvre has become one of the most important chapters in the history of modern Indian art.
The auction featured 36 works of the genius painter and ran on the website on 29th and 30th August. In the auction an oil painting by the late artist titled ‘Voices’ was sold for a record Rs. 18.47 crore on Sunday 30th August which is the highest price for an artist’s work in an auction so far.
The painting was made in 1958 a couple of years after the Bombay based Progressive Artist’s Group dissolved which he co-founded with modern artists such as SH Raza and FN Fouza in 1947.It is an oil-on canvas spans18.8 feet and is his largest work from the 1950s.
Voices earned Husain great recognition from all over the world and won him the Tokyo Biennale Award in 1959. It also broke his previous record of 1972 oil painting ‘Battle of Ganga and Jamuna’ which was sold for Rs. 13.4 crore.
Tushar Sethi, CEO, auction house AstaGuru which organised the sale says “He created this work to proclaim India’s emerging and unified ‘Voice’ as a nation to the world, Husain’s oeuvre constitutes an integral chapter in the history of modern Indian art and the auction proves that collectors are keen on acquiring his important works.”
Arvind Vijaymohan, CEO of the art research firm Artery India said “Contrary to expectation, there has been a spate of enthusiastic bidding at auctions recorded post-March. This could be on account of euphoric buying to ease the COVID induced locked-in gloom, or more likely new capital entering the market and being deployed.”
MF Husain passed away at the age of 95 years on 9 June 2011 in London.