By M. Saad
In the ever-shifting realm of art, price records prove fleeting as the value of artworks continues to redefine the landscape. A notable surge in the worth of Indian art has taken center stage in recent years. Two extraordinary paintings by Indian maestro VS Gaitonde have commanded record prices at auctions in the past two years. In 2020, it was an untitled 1974 oil on canvas by the acclaimed artist that set the art world ablaze, fetching a staggering Rs 32 crore at a Pundole’s auction, thereby establishing an unprecedented pinnacle in the realm of Indian art. This historic sale not only outshone its own predecessor, a 1995 Gaitonde masterpiece that secured Rs 29 crore in 2015, but also clinched a new global benchmark for Indian artistry. And it is Gaitonde’s artistic prowess that continues to reign supreme by remaining on top of the hierarchy of the most esteemed Indian paintings at recent auctions. A pioneer of Indian modernism, Gaitonde’s oeuvre perennially commands record-breaking valuations. Behold the compendium of the most opulent Indian artworks to grace the auction stage in the past decade or so:
Untitled, 1980, VS Gaitonde, Rs 47.5 crore
Gaitonde’s sun-hued 1980 untitled painting fetched Rs 47.5 crore at Saffronart auction in March this year. This monumental accomplishment unveiled a new zenith for Indian artwork value. . The work where the yellow colour dominates the canvas has calligraphic and hieroglyphic forms from top to bottom. The painting is exemplary of the artist’s introspective spirit, which is said to have found inspiration in Zen philosophy and spiritual contemplation. His canvases have “colour harmonies” that evoke a sense of tranquillity.
Untitled, 1969, VS Gaitonde, Rs 42 crore
Gaitonde’s 1969 surreal untitled oil on canvas sold for Rs 42 crore at a Pundole auction in 2022Revered as a “genius” and “perfectionist” by contemporaries like MF Husain and Krishen Khanna, Gaitonde’s enigmatic legacy remains an enduring cornerstone of artistic excellence. Gaitonde was a product of JJ School of Art from where he graduated in 1948.
Untitled, 1961, VS Gaitonde, Rs 39.98 crore
Gaitonde’s 1961 abstract marvel adorned in a cascade of blue pigment layers fetched Rs 39.98 crore at a Saffronart auction in March 2021. This sale was at that time the highest auction price achieved by an Indian artisan worldwide. Born in Nagpur in 1924, Gaitonde’s rise to international prominence commenced with his work’s inclusion in a seminal 1964 exhibition at the MoMA, New York.
In the Ladies Enclosure, 1983, Amrita Sher-Gil, Rs 37.8 crore
Amrita Sher-Gil, a harbinger of avant-garde expression in the twentieth century, honed her artistic finesse in Europe while her thematic devotion remained steadfastly Indian. In a rivetting convergence of Western art currents and indigenous subjects, her opus “In the Ladies Enclosure” (1983) achieved a remarkable Rs 37.8 crore at a Saffronart auction in 2021. Executed in Gorakhpur upon her return to India, this masterpiece commemorates the second-highest valuation for an Indian artist at that time.
Untitled, 1974, VS Gaitonde, Rs 32 crore
Echoing the enigma of Gaitonde’s allure, his untitled 1974 oil on canvas achieved an impressive Rs 32 crore at a Pundole’s auction, during the curated event “Looking West: Works from the Collection of the Glenbarra Art Museum, Japan.” This auction, a testament to the generous patronage of Japanese art collector Masanori Fukuoka, underscored the cross-cultural appeal of Indian art.
Untitled, 1995, VS Gaitonde, Rs 29.30 crore
Unveiling an extraordinary culmination of Gaitonde’s reflective genius, his 1995 untitled painting secured Rs 29.30 crore at a Christie’s auction in 2015. This monumental accomplishment unveiled a new zenith for Indian artwork value during that era. Revered as a “genius” and “perfectionist” by his contemporaries like MF Husain and Krishen Khanna, Gaitonde’s enigmatic legacy remains an enduring cornerstone of artistic excellence.
Kali, 1989, Tyeb Mehta, Rs 26.4 crore
A symbolic masterpiece by Tyeb Mehta, “Kali” personifies the eternal struggle between good and evil, creation and obliteration, triumphed with a monumental Rs 26.4 crore in 2018. Reflecting the dynamic prowess of a blue-clad goddess Kali pitted against a demon, this artwork once belonged to the collection of Ebrahim Alkazi.
