Sotheby’s: Indian Contemporary Art Sale Fizzles; Welch Sale Sizzles

by Raj S. Rangarajan


NEW YORK—Sotheby’s modern and contemporary South Asian art sale, on May 31 in London, met with lackluster interest from buyers. Of 60 lots offered, just 33 were sold. By value, the auction was 47 percent sold, achieving a total of £1.6 million ($2.7 million).
An oil on canvas, Rue des Fossés St Jacques, 1957, by Sayed Haider Raza (b. 1922), sold for £337,250 ($557,609), on an estimate of £300,000/500,000. The work shows a view from the studio window that Raza and his wife, painter Janine Mongillat, rented in Paris in the ’50s.
An untitled painting by Manjit Bawa (1941–2008) was bought by a trade buyer for £157,250 ($259,997), compared with an estimate of £100,000/150,000, and another by Bawa, also untitled, sold for £61,250 ($101,271), against an estimate of £50,000/70,000.
Two more untitled pieces, these by the recently deceased Maqbool Fida Husain (1915–2011), were bought by private U.S. buyers, one for £87,650 ($144,921), on an estimate of £50,000/70,000, the other for £63,650 ($105,239), compared with an estimate of £30,000/40,000.
Records at Auction of Welch Collection
Titled Arts of India, the second part of the sale of the Stuart Cary Welch collection of Islamic and Indian art was held at Sotheby’s London on May 31, realizing £8.4 million ($13.9 million); combined with the first part (held in April), total sales were £29.3 million ($48 million). The April sale had a sell-through rate of 96.2 percent by lot, while Arts of India posted sell-through rates of 98 percent by lot and 99.6 percent by value.
Welch (1928–2008), a curator of Islamic and Indian art at the Harvard Art Museum, was also a special consultant for the department of Islamic art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; he began collecting Indian art as a young boy.
The May sale saw an auction record for a Nepalese painting: Vasudhara Mandala, 1365, by Jasaraja Jirila, sold for £825,250 ($1.4 million), doubling the £300,000/400,000 estimate.
The top lot however, was Sri Bhairavi Devi with Shiva, ca. 1630–35, attributable to Payag, Mughal, which sold to a “North American institution,” for £1.4 million ($2.3 million), far higher than the £30,000/40,000 estimate.

Asian Art Continues to Surge at Christie’s Hong Kong

Raj S. Rangarajan


NEW YORK—Christie’s spring sales of Asian art in Hong Kong, including paintings, ceramics and works of art, as well as watches and jewelry, held May 28–June 1, realized a total of HK$3.9 billion ($496 million), a much higher figure than last year’s total of HK$2.3 billion ($294 million). At the recent sales, fine art accounted for HK$1.9 billion ($243.56 million).
In the evening sale of Asian 20th-century and contemporary art on May 28 (93 percent sold by lot and 95 percent sold by value), the total was HK$492.7 million ($63.3 million). The top lots were works by Zao Wou-ki (b. 1920), whose 2.11.59 sold for HK$41 million ($5.3 million) and 14.11.63 sold for HK$38.7 million ($5 million).
The Leopard, 2010, by Zeng Fanzhi (b. 1964) sold for HK$36 million ($4.6 million) amid intense bidding, to Chinese entrepreneur Zhao Zhijun. All proceeds of this sale went to the nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, and Christie’s also waived its commissions. The Leopard will be housed at Zhao’s private museum in Beijing, according to Christie’s.
In the Asian contemporary-art day sale on May 29, where the total was HK$160.2 million ($20.6 million), Zeng also led the top ten. The artist’s painting Andy Warhol, 2005, sold for HK$9.6 million ($1.2 million), while Sky No. 2 sold for HK$9 million ($1.2 million) surpassing estimates of HK$2.5 million/3.5 million.
Golden Wedding, 2008, by Xin Dongwang (b. 1963) sold at HK$5 million ($650,210), far above the high estimate of HK$900,000, to an Asian bidder. Two of Yu Youhan’s paintings fetched healthy prices from European private bidders. Yu’s White Cat, Black Cat, 1993, (estimate: HK$1 million/1.5 million) sold for HK$4.6 million ($588,530), while his Mao Image in Rose, 1992, sold at HK$3.4 million ($434,330), compared with an estimate of HK$2.5 million/3.5 million.
Auction records were achieved for a wide range of works, including twelve lots by Chinese artists, three by Japanese artists, two by Korean artists and one for an Indian artist. Also a record was the HK$2.4 million ($310,970) given for A passerby hears a fair maiden’s laughter in the garden ring, by Chinese artist Pang Jiun (b. 1936), against an estimate of HK$1.2 million/1.6 million.
François Curiel, president of Christie’s Asia said, “strong bidding with moments of passionate enthusiasm was the hallmark of the week of spring auctions in Hong Kong. With sales up 65 percent over the same period last year, the growth of the art market in Asia is greater than anywhere in the world. This is due to the strength of the economy in the region and also to the great appetite of Asian collectors for works of art of the finest quality.”
The sale of Chinese modern paintings totaled HK$958 million ($123.1 million) and was 98 percent sold by lot and 99.8 percent by value. Works by Zhang Daqian (1899–1983) accounted for the top three lots, and a total of six in the top ten in this category. Lotus, 1981, sold for HK$56.7 million ($7.3 million), compared with an estimate of HK$6 million/8 million, and was bought by an Asian private buyer. Landscape along Highway Hengguan, 1965, went for HK$52.2 million ($6.7 million)—six times the high estimate of HK$8 million—and Contemplating upon an Autumn Landscape, 1967, was sold for HK$51 million ($6.6 million), far higher than the estimate of HK$8 million/10 million.
Ben Kong, international specialist and head of Christie’s Chinese paintings department, said the session “saw a consistently packed auction room where buyers, particularly from Greater China, vied throughout the ten-hour sale for the best works from modern masters,” such as Zhang Daqian, Wu Guanzhong, Xu Beihong, Lin Fengmian and Li Keran while affirming that “the Chinese paintings market is going from strength to strength.”
The day sale of Chinese 20th-century art totaled HK$108.6 million ($14 million), and was 88 percent sold by lot and 98 percent by value. Again Zao figured in the top lots, with 5.6.63 selling for HK$18.6 million ($2.4 million), doubling the estimate of HK$6 million/7 million, and Ciel de Paris, 1954, selling for HK$6.5 million ($835,250), three times the high estimate of HK$1.5 million/2 million. Sharing a Secret, 1992, by Ai Xuan (b. 1947) sold at HK$5.8 million ($742,730) compared with an estimate of HK$1.5 million/2.5 million.
The Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art category totaled HK$49 million ($6.3 million), with 76 percent sold by lot, 90 percent by value. The top lot, Temple Festival in Bali by Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès, realized HK$7.7 million ($989,450), compared with an estimate of HK$1.9 million/2.6 million, and was bought by an Asian corporation. Indonesian artist Affandi (1907–90) had two works that fetched strong prices: Ayam Jago (Man with a fighting rooster), 1968, was bought by an unidentified Asian corporation for HK$3.6 million ($465,170), far higher than the estimate of HK$800,000/1 million while Penjual Tuwak (Tuwak seller), 1970, also by Affandi, was purchased by a private Asian bidder for HK$2 million ($264,710), well above the estimate of HK$600,000/800,000.
Ruoh-Ling Keong, head of Christie’s Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art department, said the “highly positive reception for the sale shows it struck a solid balance between the two pillars of modern and contemporary art, with significant cross-buying from the regions.” Two records were set in the modern art category: La Piedra IV, 1973, by Filipino artist Fernando Zobel (1924–84), which sold for more than four times its estimate, at HK$1.6 million ($203,030), and Anxiety, 2010, by BenCab, aka Benedicto Yeyes Cabrera (b. 1942), which sold for HK$740,000 ($95,090), against an estimate of HK$350,000/450,000.

Maharajas' watches fetch millions at Swiss auction

A new generation of collectors are looking to acquiring unique and artistic timepieces.



Imagine one of these watches on your mantel. Or in your showcase. A Swiss-made watch known for its exquisite design, precision and craftsmanship. The high and mighty, the rich and famous gathered last month at a Swiss watering-hole in Geneva - Sotheby's - to pursue their hedonistic fancies: to bid for exclusive watches and timepieces that are inherently adorable pieces of art which happen to tell time.

With a new generation of sophisticated collectors clamoring for the unique and the pricey, the sale presented the quintessential Swiss watch known for its timeliness. The last sale was held in November 2010.

The top lot, a Patek Philippe chronograph fetched CHF 722,500 (Swiss francs or USD 815,637). Maharaja, a gold, enamel and minute repeating watch - Swiss - circa 1920 (dia. 50 mm) featuring a painted portrait of His Highness Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (1891-1938), the ruler of the princely state of Patiala in Punjab from 1900 to 1938 - sold at CHF 122,500 Swiss Francs (US$138,291 or 6.19 million INR) at four times the estimate (in picture, maharaja seen in light blue dress).

Another rare gold, enamel ruby and diamond-set watch - a Seeland - with a painted portrait of His Highness Sawai Mahendra Sir Pratapsing Bahadeer, Maharaja of Orchha, Tikamgarh, Bundelkhand, signed Graff, circa 1890 (dia. 51 mm) - went for CHF 74,500 (US$84,104) at twice the high estimate. (maharaja in dark green tunic)

A third lot in the India series was - a Charles Frodsham - an 18K yellow gold hunting cased minute repeating watch made for the Indian market with enamel portraits, circa 1890 (maharaja in light green tunic. Vying for top honours were several Rolexes, a Piguet & Capt. Breguets, Omegas and other exclusive names from London and Paris.

Swiss enamel portrait miniature painter, John Graff (1836-1902) had created for the Indian princes and other dignitaries, what came to be known as "Rajah" watches that were decorated with enamel portraits of their owners taken from photographs. The intricate mechanisms were mainly produced in the Vallee de Joux area in Switzerland known for its ski slopes or in Le Locle, home of the Tissot watch.

More than 300 clients signed up for the event that covered five centuries of watch-matching history from 1580 to date. Included were luxurious pocket watches made for Indian maharajas in the 19th century, antique timepieces and blue-chip wristwatches as also Chinese and Turkish masterpieces.

retailpluseditor@gmail.com

(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market and auto shows and reviews films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; and India.)

RAJ S RANGARAJAN

Citizen of the World

Born on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur a temple-town in Maharashtra, Maqbool Fida Husain was not only an enduring artist with an enviable body of work but was also a remarkable Indian.

Starting life as a painter of banners in Mumbai, Husain's childlike simplicity in his talk and manner were noticeable by anyone who met him. Easily approachable, the man loved the female form and said so sometimes with mischief and humour but never with malice. He was always alert to what one said, and used his enormous talent to chronicle society's contemporaneous ills and misgivings. By sheer numbers and his enduring presence in the art world, Husain brought Indian contemporary art to the world stage.

In 1947, around the time when India got its independence, The Progressive Artists Group was formed by artists - Francis Newton Souza, S. H. Raza and K. H. Ara and Husain was an early member. Among his early supporters were American well-wishers. Around the 50's he started focusing on colour and lines, motivated by European painters as also temple art in Hindu temples. In the subsequent two decades his reputation grew as an artist and so did his confidence.

In the 50's and 60's, Husain had the moral and financial support from the likes of art collectors - Chester and Davida Herwitz from Massachusetts, and Thomas Keehn(also 96) from Queens, New York, who between 1952 and 1961 used to work for Nelson Rockefeller in Delhi. Keehn, who is very close to the Husain family said," few years ago when Husain visited New York, the artist had produced 'Two Horses' within just 75 minutes with about 20 people watching."

Not many people are aware that among the doyen's masterpieces is a series of 27 paintings that he completed in 1971-72 for the 11th Sao Paolo Biennial on the epic Mahabharata. This 'Mahabharata: The Battle of Ganga and Jamuna' sold at a 2008 Christie's auction for $1.6 million.

Madhuri, the Maharashtrian Muse

He has mentioned that actor Madhuri Dixit was the inspiration behind his 2000 film - Gaja Gamini that also starred Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah. He directed Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities starring Tabu, Kunal Kapoor with Raguvir Yadav playing a Nawab and A.R. Rahman providing the musical score. However, his first film, Through the Eyes of a Painter, made in 1967 won a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Husain, a Qatari citizen since 2010 was forced to leave India in 2006 following communal disturbances, but never carried any rancor or revenge. He and his wife Fazila Bibi had six children: four sons and two daughters.

The art industry and the legion of art-lovers spread across the world will miss this giant of a man not only for his versatility in creating canvases and films but for his flamboyant, free spirit.

(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market and auto shows and reviews films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; and India.)

talktoretailplus@yahoo.com

RAJ S. RANGARAJAN