ArtWorks by Raja Ravi Verma, Tagore to be auctioned on March 1

New Delhi, Feb 23 (UNI) For the first time ever, works by artists like Raja Ravi Verma, Amrita Sher-Gil, Rabindranath Tagore, Nicholas Roerich and Jamini Roy will "go under the hammer" at an auction next week.

Serious connoisseurs of art will get an opportunity to possess these National Art Treasures at an auction by Osian's Connoisseurs of art in the capital on March 1.

A collection of some of the rarest works of Indian Contemporary Art will be on auction at the Osian's forthcoming curated auction and publication 'The Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series VI-Indian Contemporary Arts and Books' at Delhi's Imperial Hotel.

A range of masterpieces and several high quality works by artists like Akbar Padamsee and M F Hussain will be displayed at the auction which will bring together a collecton of 101 lots, presented in 6 sections.

''The auction of these national art treasures will establish a new high in the Contemporary Art Scenario,''says Osians' Neville Tuli.

For example, while the price of Akbar Padamsee's 'Nude In Grey' has been pegged at between Rs 80 lakh to One crore, F N Souza's 'Couple' begins at Rs 1.2 crore, M F Husain's 'Subhe Banaras' at Rs 1 crore, Amrita Sher-Gil's 'Village Scene' begins from Rs 2 crore and Raja Ravi Verma's Adaptation of the poem 'Veenu nu Mrug' has been pegged at Rs 2 crore.

''The determination and resolve of the bidders will establish a new high in the Indian Contempoary Art Scenario. The works of F N souza, M F Hussain and Akbar Padamsee may provide a surprise as well,''Mr Tuli said.

Also featured in the auction will be artists who are a part of the National Art Treasure of Pakistan --Ustad Allah Buksh and Sri Lanka's George Keyt.

Among the various sections of the auction will be 'Great bengali Creative Spirit', reflecting the new highs on the contemporary Bengali Arts scene, 'Bombay-Mumbai as Origin'; presenting greats such as M F Hussain, F N Souza, S H Raza and Akbar Padamsee, the 'Lonre Introspective Integrity of the Abstractionist' and 'powerhouses of Delhi and Baroda'.

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