Raja Ravi Varma's 'Yashoda and Krishna' to lead Saffronart's Spring Auctions

A rare "Yashoda and Krishna" painting by Raja Ravi Varma, an 8th century Kashmiri sculpture of Buddha, and M F Husain's "Untitled (Benares)" will be among the artworks leading Saffronart's Spring Live and Online Auctions.

The auction house announced bringing together "a thoughtfully curated selection of pre-modern and modern Indian art, presenting a sweeping continuum across centuries of artistic practice".

At the centre of the auctions is a group of works that helped shape the evolution of modern Indian art, alongside rare antiquities, sculptures, and contemporary masterpieces.

The catalogue features notable works by Raja Ravi Varma, M F Husain, S H Raza, F N Souza, and the American Orientalist Edwin Lord Weeks, among others.

Varma in his oil on canvas work, circa 1890s, depicts Yashoda milking a cow as an infant Krishna reaches for a goblet of milk from behind, drawing the viewer into the scene, "transforming a domestic moment into an experience that suggests participation in a larger, sacred narrative".

The painting, an example of Varma's distinctive ability to marry European academic realism with Indian iconography, is estimated to fetch Rs 80-120 crore.

Raja Ravi Varma's masterpiece, where Yashoda, the beloved mother of Bhagwan Krishna, is milking a white cow. The painting captures a moment of pure innocence and mischief, as the mischievous baby Krishna, eagerly comes over to demand his share of the creamy milk. pic.twitter.com/25Xgs0XvRB

— Clio's Chronicles (@CliosChronicles) April 5, 2023

Dinesh Vazrani, CEO and co-founder of Saffronart, said that Varma's "Yashoda and Krishna" is a moving meditation.

"We are pleased to open our auction calendar with a wide-ranging catalogue of modern and contemporary art, sculpture, and antiquities in our Spring Live and Online Auctions. It is a privilege to have Yashoda and Krishna, a truly exceptional painting by Raja Ravi Varma, lead the sale as it comes to auction for the first time.

"Among his finest works, Yashoda and Krishna is a moving meditation on the bond between a mother and child, universal in its sentiment yet unmistakably Indian in sensibility. The work belongs to a celebrated canon of mythological paintings by Ravi Varma that redefined how modern India imagines its sacred narratives," he said in a statement.

Another highlight of the auction is Husain's Untitled work, estimated at Rs 10-15 crore, depicting the sacred city of Varanasi. The monumental work reflects Husain's engagement with the rhythms of everyday life at the Varanasi's historic ghats, as strong, confident brushstrokes capture the spiritual and cultural complexity of the holy city.

Raza's "Kundalini" (2001), which is estimated at Rs 6.50-7.50 crore, demonstrates his effort to further refine his most enduring motif of the 'bindu' to its purest expression by moving from a palette of intense primary colours to a predominantly monochromatic one of pale yellows and browns, white, and grey.

Another important highlight is a rare early Kashmiri bronze sculpture of Buddha, formerly in the collection of noted collectors Nalini and Haridas Swali.

Dating back to the early 8th century, the sculpture depicts the Buddha seated in the meditative vajraparyankasana posture and represents one of the most refined traditions of Himalayan metal casting. Distinguished by its elegant modelling and well-preserved gilding, the work stands as an exceptional example of early Kashmiri craftsmanship.

It is estimated at Rs 3-5 crore.

The live auction will be held at Saffronart's Mumbai office on April 1 and the online auction will be held on April 1-2 on saffronart.com.