Assembled half a century ago by the Danish couple Gunnar Hansen and his wife Inger, artists V.S. Gaitonde and Ram Kumar will be showcasing a collection of modern Indian art for auction for the first time in London by Sotheby’s auction house later in September.
The history of the collection is said to be closely tied to that of one of India’s leading infrastructure businesses of the 20th century, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), for whom Gunnar worked for over 20 years. Ishrat Kanga, Head of Sotheby’s London Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art Sale said, “Gunnar and Inger Hansen’s collection is a true hidden gem. All of the paintings offered here have rarely been seen in public, if ever, before." According to iGlobal, the Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art Auction, scheduled for September 29, includes a selection of works from the estate of Bhupen Khakhar, including a painting of one of the artist’s closest friends which hung in pride of place in his Baroda drawing room. ‘Portrait of Shri Shankerbhai V. Patel Near Red Fort’, estimated at £260,000-450,000, remained with the artist throughout his life – a sign of the artist’s unflinching devotion to the man depicted in the painting. A further collection to go under the hammer comes from the estate of Patwant Singh, one of India’s most important tastemakers and scholars. They are led by Ram Kumar’s ‘Ruins’, acquired directly from the artist in the 1960s and estimated at £80,000-120,000. The entire collection will go on public display at Sotheby’s London headquarters in New Bond Street from September 25.
