M F Hussain, S H Raza ruling the art market

Kolkata, Nov 15 (UNI) M F Hussain and S H Raza are ruling the roost in the Indian art auctions with their works selling at a whopping US $ 5.24 million and US $ 5.37 million respectively in the first six to seven months of the year.

According to art market sources, these two artists are among the few living artists to trigger some of the highest sales figures in 2006. Interestingly, Hussain's art work had sold at only $ 27,000 in 2000.

Market sources said, ''The graph is rising every year. From just four to five figure auction sales in 2000, the seven figure barrier has been broken by several artists.'' Hussain paintings had fetched US $ 1,40,000 which grew every year and touched even US $ 5.9 million in 2005.

Raza's paintings has seen a sharper rise in sales at the auctions. Raza had sold about US $ 8,700 in 2000. It grew to US $ 1,200 in 2001 and jumped to a whopping US $ 4 million in 2005, sources informed.

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