Sotheby's sale of Indian miniature paintings

Sotheby's  Indian & Southeast Asian Art department has on offer a wide variety of work that ranges right from the earliest sculpture of both India and South Asia as a whole, dating from the first century to the leading modern artists’ paintings and cutting-edge artworks by internationally celebrated artists of the new century.

A diverse domain - the art it sells at auction extends from India to Indonesia, and includes the countries of Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, as well as Nepal and Tibet in the Himalaya regions. The seasoned team of experts from Sotheby’s is based across different Hong Kong, Singapore, London, and New York. It works with the regional offices to source and offer the finest artworks through notable public sales that have set record price benchmarks for traditional sculptures and modern works, modern and contemporary Indian, Indian miniature paintings and superb South Asian Art.

The auction house is offering exquisite Indian miniature paintings at its upcoming sale in London next month. Among the works that will lead the section of miniature paintings is a wonderful work of opaque watercolor heightened with gorgeous gold on paper. Maharana Sajjan Singh Riding in an Elephant Procession from Mewar in Rajasthan (circa 1880) is estimated at £15,000-20,000.

Another section is dedicated to Anglo-Indian Art. It comprises Western depictions of the South Asian cultures and rituals. It is being led by a large painting done by Horace Van Ruith. The monumental Worshippers at the Trimbakeshwar Temple in Nasik district of Maharashtra is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is estimated in the range of £60,000-80,000. The Duke of Connaught had praised van Ruith in a letter posted to his mother (the Queen Victoria), saying: ""No man understands the peculiar characteristics of Indian life better than he does."

A range of contemporary art features in the Contemporary section, including Jitish Kallat's Untitled work (Stations of a Pause). It is estimated at £80,000-120,000. Alwar Balasubramaniam’s ‘Gravity’ is estimated at £20,000-30,000. Sharmila Samant’s ‘Made to Order’ is estimated at £16,000-18,000. ‘Lone Women Don't Cry’ by Sonia Khurana is estimated at £9,000-11,000.