Auction picks III: Top 5 under $250,000

The mid-tier segment of the modern sale is very exciting with plenty of first rate pictures on offer particularly from Christies and Sothebys. The suite of Raza’s and Ram Kumar’s are worth calling out as mostly all of the works on offer are of high quality and one could very easily have a list of top 5 comprising of either of their works given the large pool of outstanding pictures to choose from. However, in the interest of diversity lets take a look at closer look at the five that made the cut





S.H. RAZA (lo 79 Sotheby’s)
1971, La Nuit




Estimated at $120,000~180,000 a work of this quality and period by the master colorist should easily fetch close to $300,000
















JAGDISH SWAMINATHAN (lo. 84 Sotheby’s)
1972, Perception

This picture estimated at $150,000~$200,000 is one of my favorite swami’s in this sale, I would not be surprised if likeminded buyers bid this up to $450,000


F.N. SOUZA (lo. 37 Bonhams)
1961, Still Life

May not be very appealing at first glance but there is a dark and mysterious quality about this work estimated at $152,000~228,000 that pushes it into my top five. All it takes is two to make this shine bright at $350,000




RAM KUMAR (lo 65 Christies)
1980, Untitled

Est.$80,000~ 100,000




The vibrancy of this glacier blue landscape and the application of paint suggests a refreshingly spontaneous execution, perhaps during one of his trips to Ladakh. This characteristic Ram Kumar should easily ring in $225,000












JOGEN CHOWDHURY (lo 104 Christies)
2001, Untitled (four figures)

Be prepared to cough up close to $250,000 if you are seriously in the market for cross hatch works of this size estimated at $100,000~$150,000