A stunning work by Jehangir Sabavala, one of India's renowned modern artists, fetched a record 253,650 pounds, leading a strong selection of artworks by top South Asian artists at the recent Bonhams annual summer sale of Modern & Contemporary South Asian art.
The piece of work, titled ‘Vespers I’, by the late artist had been estimated to draw around 100,000-150,000 pounds. After a keen saleroom tussle between two eager buyers, it was sold down for a highly impressive 253,650 pounds. It was incidentally a world record for any Indian artist at Bonhams.
Illustrated on the cover of his monograph by renowned art critic Ranjit Hoskote, 'The Crucible of Painting: The Art of Jehangir Sabavala, Vespers I' is considered one of his most significant works. It represents a key phase of transition in his powerful oeuvre. The piece was first exhibited at Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery and then at a solo show at the Commonwealth Institute in London.
Jehangir Sabavala was well renowned for his skillful handling of light, color and texture. Underlining the artist’s style and philosophy, Hoskote was quoted as saying, "He harbored a lifelong fascination with monastic life. The figures of the monk and also the hermit were central to his work. He often compared his long, solitary and disciplined work hours in the studio with a monk's routine – that of study, prayer, meditation and retreat." An independent curator and art scholar had set up the Indian Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale.
The Head of Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art, Bonhams, Mehreeen Rizvi, quipped after the sale: "We’re delighted with this result for Jehangir Sabavala. It’s about time the late artist attained commercial success in the market to reflect his artistic reputation".
Works by the aloof Parsi artist, who died after a prolonged battle with cancer last year, have been gradually climbing up the auction ladder. One of his landscapes called Casuarina Line went for Rs 1.7 crore in 2010 at a Saffronart auction. ‘Vespers 1’ has scaled a new peak by drawing a price twice the estimate.
The piece of work, titled ‘Vespers I’, by the late artist had been estimated to draw around 100,000-150,000 pounds. After a keen saleroom tussle between two eager buyers, it was sold down for a highly impressive 253,650 pounds. It was incidentally a world record for any Indian artist at Bonhams.
Illustrated on the cover of his monograph by renowned art critic Ranjit Hoskote, 'The Crucible of Painting: The Art of Jehangir Sabavala, Vespers I' is considered one of his most significant works. It represents a key phase of transition in his powerful oeuvre. The piece was first exhibited at Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery and then at a solo show at the Commonwealth Institute in London.
Jehangir Sabavala was well renowned for his skillful handling of light, color and texture. Underlining the artist’s style and philosophy, Hoskote was quoted as saying, "He harbored a lifelong fascination with monastic life. The figures of the monk and also the hermit were central to his work. He often compared his long, solitary and disciplined work hours in the studio with a monk's routine – that of study, prayer, meditation and retreat." An independent curator and art scholar had set up the Indian Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale.
The Head of Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art, Bonhams, Mehreeen Rizvi, quipped after the sale: "We’re delighted with this result for Jehangir Sabavala. It’s about time the late artist attained commercial success in the market to reflect his artistic reputation".
Works by the aloof Parsi artist, who died after a prolonged battle with cancer last year, have been gradually climbing up the auction ladder. One of his landscapes called Casuarina Line went for Rs 1.7 crore in 2010 at a Saffronart auction. ‘Vespers 1’ has scaled a new peak by drawing a price twice the estimate.
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