Christie’s debuts Asian Art Week with the ‘Arts of India’ sale
Featuring a curated range of paintings and sculpture from the subcontinent, the ongoing Asian Art Week on till September 27 puts up exquisite 18th and 19th century illustrations from the various courts of Rajasthan, Kangra, Mandi, Nepal, and more.
On the website, one can cherish the eye catching illustration from the Bharany Ramayana series, which depict monkey army intruding upon a deep grotto. Kangra painting dates back to 1775-80 and has been attributed to a first-generation artist after Nainsukh or Manaku. These works feature in the debut online sales, ‘Arts of India’, which in turn is part of the ongoing Asian Art Week at Christie’s.
Lifesize pichvai depicting Vishnu in his cosmic form, Vishvarupa takes the centre stage in the auction which also highlights important court paintings, including a folio from the ‘Bharany’ Ramayana series, a large format scene from Purkhu’s Kirata Arjuniya, and five folios from a Nepalese Bhagavata Purana series,” states the auction note.
The stunning aerial view revealing the complex architectural composition in multiple perspectives has parallels with later Mewari court painting (Hurel and Okada, Pouvoir et Desir: Miniatures Indiennes Collection Edwin Binney 3rd du san Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, 2002, pp. 114-115, cat.42),” states the note.
Another highlight of the sale is a set of Company paintings. Especially striking is a painting of a marriage procession by night, attributed to the circle of Sewak Ram, Patna (1810). The city of Patna was the most flourishing and productive Company school of painting.
Apart from Indian art Christie’s New York celebrates Asian Art Week with nine auctions, six live; three online. Live sales begin 19 September with Japanese and Korean Art, featuring Japanese woodblock prints, lacquer works, sculptures, ceramics, metalworks, and important Korean works of art and paintings.
