Tyeb’s work may fetch over Rs 10 crore

NEW DELHI: It’s a decade since Tyeb Mehta raised the bar for Indian art. His triptych ‘Celebration’ made history in 2002 by becoming the first modern Indian artwork to sell for over a crore (Rs1.5 crore at Christie’s). It was a Tyeb work (‘Mahishasura’) again which crossed the $1m mark for the first time in 2005. Now, another iconic work by one of India’s most celebrated modernists is up for sale at Christie’s in London on Monday.
Estimated at over Rs 10 crore, the 1996 work is from the iconic Mahishasura series and is a representation of the mythic battle between mother goddess Durga and the buffalo demon Mahisha, the culmination of which marks the triumph of good over evil. Yamini Mehta, director of South Asian modern and contemporary art at Christie's, says the work is very Picasso-esque, both thematically (the bull becoming a symbol of pain, struggle and survival) as well as in the stylistic devices used. "Unlike other representations where Tyeb differentiates between the goddess and the demon by the use of two colours, here it’s difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins," said Mehta.
Another star attraction at the Christie’s auction will be M F Husain's Cinq Sens, which was formerly in the collection of Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini and his Indian wife Sonali Dasgupta. Auctioneers expect it will fetch up to £500,000 (Rs 4 crore approx).
The painting was a gift from the artist to his friend, Rossellini, "who left India with newfound love, awareness and creative consciousness", said Christie's. An early work by Syed Haidar Raza, who returned to India recently is also expected to attract interest.
"This auction is the most varied in the category to date, in terms of price levels — with estimates ranging from£1,500 to £1.8m ($2.8m) — as well as artists," said Mehta.
While the masters steal the limelight as far as prices are concerned, the auction also includes several contemporary artists such as Anita Dube, Pushpamala N, Subodh Gupta and Bharti Kher. It also has a photography section with a work by Dayanita Singh as one of the highlights.