Amrita Sher-Gil's Art Becomes Second Most Expensive Indian Artwork After It Sells For Rs 37.8 Cr

Known as the 'Indian Frida Kahlo' for aesthetically blending traditional and Western art forms, renowned painter Amrita Sher-Gil is in the news.

Her artwork, "In the Ladies' Enclosure" became the second most expensive Indian work of art sold globally, after fetching a whopping ? 37.8 crore at Saffronart's recent Summer Live Auction.

Saffron art.com

This beautiful artwork was painted at the artist's family estate in Gorakhpur and showcases a group of women engaged in myriad activities in a field.

The oil painting contains a group of women and a dog assembled by a striking hibiscus bush. At the centre is a bride in a vermillion salwar kameez. Others, such as the woman plaiting the bride¡¯s hair and a small girl observing a hibiscus flower, are also present.

Saffronart CEO and co-founder Dinesh Vazirani in a statement said, "The record-breaking sale of Amrita Sher-Gil's seminal painting is a clear indication of her artistic merit and is a testament to her skill and talent. The work highlights her growth and development as an artist and is a culmination of years of coming into her own as an artist of repute."

Wikipedia

He also added that the work was also a rare piece by the artist from that particular period to emerge in the art market. Among other highlights of the sale that achieved a total value of ? 54.25 crores, were N S Bendre's untitled painting from 1985, and F N Souza's untitled work from 1956 that sold for ? 1.67 crore, and ? 5.04 crore respectively.

Arvind Vijaymohan, CEO of Artery India said about this painting, "This painting is among the artist¡¯s most dense compositions to be featured for sale, at auction or privately, and painted during a crucial phase within the artist¡¯s short-lived practice. Given its rarity and importance, it should have achieved a higher price, and will serve its collector richly as a capital asset, in addition to its unparalleled historicity and cultural bearings."

Tate.org.uk

One of the greatest avant-garde women artists of the early 20th century, similar compositions are seen in other Sher-Gil paintings, such as Bride¡¯s Toilet (1937) and Village Scene (1938).

Currently, a 1961 untitled work by VS Gaitonde that sold for ? 39.98 crores at another Saffronart sale earlier this year is the most expensive Indian art sold globally. The previous record for Sher-Gil was Rs 18.7 crore for The Little Girl in Blue (1934) at Sotheby¡¯s auction in Mumbai in 2018, according to art market intelligence firm Artery India.