Under the Hammer: Christie's auction in India

The December 19 sale was preceded by public viewings and a panel discussion

Published: Jan 14, 2014

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Guests at a viewing of the artworks, organised ahead of the Mumbai auction, at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi on December 7 to 9. On the wall, Vivan Sundaram’s two untitled re-takes of Amrita Sher-Gil

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A panel discussion on ‘Cultural Stewardship: Protecting, preserving and advancing culture in India and beyond’ was held on December 8 at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi. Panelists included (from left) Toby Usnik, chief corporate social responsibility officer, Christie’s, Bharat Wakhlu, resident director, Tata Services Ltd, Kiran Nadar, trustee, Shiv Nadar Foundation & founder of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, and Pooja Sood, director, KHOJ, International Artists’ Association

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At an event at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai Hugo Weihe, international director of Asian art for Christie’s and auctioneer for the December sale, introduces the 83 artworks—including the untitled paintings by Tyeb Mehta and Vasudeo Gaitonde behind him—to members of the press

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The venue, Crystal Room at Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, being prepared for the December 19 auction. Here, an untitled Plaster of Paris work with red earth coating by Sankho Chaudhuri being arranged for the sale

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Organisers move Tyeb Mehta’s ‘Mahisasura’ as they arrange the auction venue. The painting fetched Rs 19.78 crore at the sale

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Vasudeo Gaitonde’s untitled abstract oil on canvas from 1979 made him the most expensive Indian artwork, selling for Rs 23.7 crore

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(From left) ‘Kultura’, a lithograph in colour executed by Tyeb Mehta in 1957; an untitled collection of five pen, ink, and pastel works by Pilloo Pochkhanawala