Early artists, heritage art fetch a premium
Recent art auctions have increasingly driven home the growing interest in early artists and 'heritage' paintings. Sotheby's Art House | World of auctions I Indian Art Index
By ET Bureau |
KOLKATA: Recent art auctions have increasingly driven home the growing interest in early artists and ���heritage��� paintings.
While modern and contemporary have continued to lead the way when it comes to sales, Bengal School artists and other leading painters from across the country, who once dominated the art scene, have scored significant prices too. As things stand, some of these artists have fetched auction prices between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 5 crore.
���Recent auctions show that Bengal School and early paintings are selling at healthy levels. Though buying interest concentrated more around the modern and contemporary artists, there are clear signals emanating from these sales that the older artists are turning around and gaining momentum,��� an art market source told ET.
While modern and contemporary have continued to lead the way when it comes to sales, Bengal School artists and other leading painters from across the country, who once dominated the art scene, have scored significant prices too. As things stand, some of these artists have fetched auction prices between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 5 crore.
���Recent auctions show that Bengal School and early paintings are selling at healthy levels. Though buying interest concentrated more around the modern and contemporary artists, there are clear signals emanating from these sales that the older artists are turning around and gaining momentum,��� an art market source told ET.
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According to source, most of the modern and contemporary Indian artists are influenced by the Western art. But, the larger cross-section of earlier artists are more indigenous in nature.
���In the West, all categories of artists - modern, contemporary, early and heritage - get equal importance. However, its the historically major names that fetch the highest prices. This has failed to happen in India. Heritage art lagged behind the rest, while the older artists were completely neglected. However, the latest series of auctions have witnessed a shift,��� the source said.
He went on to stress that India���s history is steeped in art if one dwells on its ancient sculptures and temple architecture. If this has survived for centuries, and is recognised internationally, there is little reason for Bengal School paintings and heritage art to languish.
���The growth of heritage art, including Bengal School, in the auction and retail markets will inject a new impetus in the entire art scenario. Buyers, both on domestic and international fronts, are expected to fire prices of this genre in future. After all, this brand of art is far more affordable for collectors and investors from the overall standpoint,��� the source said.
It���s true that some works by names like Raja Ravi Verma, Amrita Sher Gil, Rabindranath Tagore, Hemen Mazumdar, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose may have scaled tall prices. But, there could still be several works by these artists which are pegged at relatively reasonable price levels.
���Another interesting feature which may surface in future is - auctions exclusively focused on heritage art. This development faces some hurdles. But, if these auctions can take off, it would lend a completely different dimension to the Indian art world,��� the source said.
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