Opportunity to grab works of Picasso, Dali, Renoir at click of a mouse

KOLKATA: While France and Spain are gearing up to celebrate the artistic legacy of Pablo Picasso in 2023 to mark the modern master's 50th death anniversary, here's an opportunity for Indian art connoisseurs to grab one of his masterpieces – at the click of a mouse.

AstaGuru, an online-only auction house, is all set to hold an international auction on November 28-29 to showcase a medley of works by legends such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Salvador Dali.

Picasso's work executed with coloured wax crayon on paper in 1969 -- titled Man and Woman -- will be put under the hammer, the auction house said. The quoted price for this is Rs 2.37-3.95 crore.

Picasso was born in the Spanish city of Malaga on October 25,1881, and died at Mougins, in the French Riviera, on April 8, 1973. The two countries are jointly planning "Picasso Celebration 1973-2023" and will hold over 40 exhibitions and events in Europe and the US to celebrate his legacy.

"Pablo Picasso was one of the most revered artists and the foremost figures of modern art. He shaped modern art as we know it today and left behind a magnificent legacy. We are elated to showcase his work in our first standalone international auction," Siddanth Shetty, vice president (business strategy and operations) at the auction house, told ET.

This lot, if sold, has to be imported into India. Therefore, a customs duty at 11% will be added to the hammer price when purchased within India. The applicable goods and service tax will also be levied on the cumulative amount, inclusive of the hammer price and the customs duty.

Another highlight of the auction is a painting by French Impressionist master Pierre Auguste- Renoir, who created an artistic legacy with his canvases bearing shimmering landscapes, sublime female nudes, sunkissed bathers, and charming portraits. The work -- titled Nude (Gabrielle) -- was once in the collection of seminal novelist Somerset Maugham. The painting also featured on the cover of his book ‘Purely for My Pleasure,’ published in 1962. The tagged price is Rs 4.35-5.53 crore.

The collection also puts a spotlight on the emergence and impact of modern art toward the mid-twentieth century with creations by Fernand Léger, Bernard Buffet and Marc Chagall. Experimental artworks by contemporary artists including Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusuma, Robert Indiana, Idris Khan, and Marc Sijan will also be part of the show.

"We are extremely happy to curate a collection (total 33) that brings together works of several big names from the history of modern and contemporary art and does complete justice to the auction titled `International Iconic'." Shetty said.