Uma Nair describes some of India’s finest works that are up at the Modern Indian Art online auction at AstaGuru

4 Pyne’s pastel

Ganesh Pyne and his pastel and crayon works have given the art world a series of dulcet compositions that we can spend hours contemplating. One such work from 1997 is The Flower which goes on sale at Astaguru.

Amid the series of frenzied crosshatches culminating in his lady with the flower, we can spot a lady sitting on a sofa, bejeweled and serene, surrounded by a haze of colour, of inanimate objects, while the lady’s face presents the conventions of portraiture. The artist fills the portrait with a welter of satin soft strokes as he plays with different approaches, until the imagery and narrative are fully realised in the still surface of the pastel on board. The effect is akin to looking at the singular moment of reverie.

Bendre’s beautiful duo

MS University pedagogue, N S Bendre’s beautiful depiction of a pair of youthful lasses is a subject of innocence and charisma. The two portraits of youthful women are rendered with minimum stylisation and a preference for two-dimensionality and flat planar strokes. Bendre’s forte was unaffected simplicity; in one work, he uses bright colours while in the other, he uses pale shades. His deliberate lack of detailing creates a spatial tension and emphasizes his preference for rural serenity. He hints at perspective, placing the female figures in the foreground of the encompassing simple surroundings that form the background of the painting. Mellow moods become the leitmotif.

Meera Mukherjee’s magical Dancing Baul 2

Meera Mukherjee’s Dancing Baul 2 is yet another masterpiece of riveting resonance. Finely wrought in the aura of tribal traditions, this piece is at once modernist for its contours and characteristic expression. Mukherjee’s own words help us understand the power and passion of the performing artist as well as the hands of the sculptor.

“To my mind, every artist must also be an artisan, who brings to his work a devotion which moves him through the progress of his work. Like an artisan, an artist must learn to work without cease. He must, in fact, work harder because while the work of an artisan has its well-defined contours, the universe of the artist is without palpable bounds. The problems he will face will not be solved by given stereotypes or formulae learnt by heart. He will have to find the solutions on his own, with ideas, materials and tools. For the artist it will be a ceaseless, life-long struggle,” ruminated Mukherjee in Methods In Creative Sculpture.

AstaGuru’s sale will present an impressive selection of iconic masterpieces by some of India’s most distinguished artists in its upcoming Modern Indian Art online auction. The online auction will be held on September 8 and 9, 2021 and will feature 50 lots which will include the works of many modern masters.