Roseberys is delighted to present the Arts of India sale, which will be held on June 14. The sale will offer a rich selection of Indian paintings and objects from private collections, with estimates ranging from £80 to £5,000.

Lot 293: A block printed cotton textile from Masulipatam South East India, 19th century

 

A stand-out lot in the sale is a block printed cotton textile from the city of Masulipatam in South East India, estimated at £2,000-3,000. The opulent piece, embellished with gold and silver, is decorated with a trellis pattern surrounding a group of Krishna’s devotees known as gopi girls. Such designs were used to decorate the walls and ceilings of shrines dedicated to the Hindu god. Masulipatam became renowned for its kalamkari or ‘pen work’ textiles which were painted and block-printed on to cotton and silk.

 

Lot 257: Ahmed Parvez (Pakistani, 1926–1979), Untitled (Vase)

 

The sale also includes a strong selection of modern and contemporary Indian art. A highlight in this category is a pastel work depicting a vase by Ahmed Parvez (1926-1979), estimated at £3,000-5,000. The Pakistani artist, who moved to London in 1955, was awarded the prestigious President’s Pride of Performance in 1978, the year this work is dated. His picturesare part of several renowned collections and have been exhibited in various galleries and museums including the Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum.

 

 

Lot 187: A very large and unusual South Indian bronze ceremonial vessel, 18th century

 

Also being offered is a fine selection of copper, brass and silver ware from South India, including an unusual bronze vessel in a fine chocolate brown patina from a private UK collection, estimated at £2,000-3,000. Its large size and wonderfully moulded heads suggest it was meant for use in a temple or palace.

 

 

Lot 209: A finely carved large sandalwood casket with figural and animals decoration

 

Another South Indian highlight is an intricately carved 19th century sandalwood casket from the Indian state of Karnataka, estimated at £2,000-3,000. Southern Indian carpenters, particularly from the territories of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, were renowned for their intricately carved sandalwood creations, which were often bought and commissioned by Western travellers as souvenirs.

 

Alice Bailey, Associate Director and Head of Department, commented:

“Our June 14th Arts of India sale brings together a selection of fine paintings and objects from a range of artistic centres throughout India. The sale illustrates the variety of classical Indian painting traditions, many with depictions of Hindu gods and heroes and scenes from well-known epics. Amongst the objects are copper, brass and silver-inlaid bidri ware, many to be sold with no reserve, which display the wealth and grandeur of India’s regional courts.”

 

Further highlights include:

- Lot 280: A landscape by Francis Newton Souza (1924-2002), estimated at £2,500-3,500. It forms part of the private collection of Dr. Premlata Goel, widow of the distinguished art critic K.B. Goel (1930-2018) to whom the work was gifted by the artist in the mid 1980s.
- Lot 273: An untitled watercolour by Avinash Chandra (1931-1991), estimated at £1,400-1,800. The work is the property of Rena Behrman (1909-2017), who helped to aid the escape of more than 1000 Jewish refugees from Europe to Britain during the Second World War.
- Lot 242: A monumental bronze cast sculpture of Siva and Parvati, estimated at £2,000-3,000. It was purchased in 1954 by the vendor’s parents on their honeymoon trip to Madras and includes the original receipt.
- Lot 134: A highly detailed 19th century painting depicting the Jagannatha temple in Puri, estimated at £3,000-5,000. It was acquired in 1954 in Puri and has been in a UK private collection ever since. Jagannatha, a form of Krishna around whom a highly popular cult emerged in Puri, spread to Bengal and Assam as well as to Nepal, judging from the evidence of this painting.
 

 

CATALOGUE NOW LIVE

Arts of India

WEDNESDAY 14 JUNE 2023 10:00 am