Magazine: Buying Guides, Research, and Videos

Somnath Hore(1921 - 2006) Overview

"Man's history is waiting in patience for the triumph of the insulted man,Triumph he had, but at a terrible price. With the subcontinent at war, and the new-born land still wracked by bone-shattering poverty, the joy in Bangladesh was necessarily tempered by sorrow.” - Rabindranath Tagore)

A Book by a 'Raja'

Here we discuss the book 'The Ten Principal Avataras of the Hindus' by Sourindra Mohun Tagore

Sculptures and Legitimate Editions

What is a legitimate bronze cast or edition? One that is sanctioned by the artist and with the use of the artist's original/master.

Philately - Pre-SG1 Jasdan

Philately or stamp collecting is a great hobby as it is an interesting mix of history and technical studies. The usual areas of interest among collectors include the early issues of a country/state or errors.

Misreading Dhanraj Bhagat's Durga

Dhanraj Bhagat, a master sculptor and Padma Shri recipient, was active in Delhi during the mid-1940s to the 1960s. Two of his sculptures (Reunion-1947 and Three Women-1953) are listed as belonging to the collection of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Valuing V S Gaitonde' Canvases

This an analysis of Vasudeo Gaitonde's auction realizations. Since about the time of the Guggenheim exhibition, his prices have seen exponential increases with comparisons being made to Mark Rothko.

The Early Pyne Vs. The Late Pyne

The contradiction in Ganesh Pyne's oeuvre refers to the change in style and theme which occurred around the time of his marriage to Meera di in the 1990s. The discussion around "Early Pyne" vs. "Late Pyne" also distills down to the same issue.

The Contemporary Art Market

India's Indigenous Modernism

In India modernism starts due to a desire to move away from the academic art being practiced and advanced by the British. Abanindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy were the earliest of the Indigenous modernists.

Jamini Roy And His Painting Mediums

It is well documented that Jamini Roy was an academic portrait painter in the early days using oil paints. His experiments in the style of "Bengal school" and Academic portraiture is amply recorded.

Jamini Roy's Studio: The Myth

Jamini Roy's studio from the 40's basically consisted only of his son Amiya (nicknamed to 'potol' in the classic Bengali Daak naam tradition of coming up with the most silly nicknames that one can find) and another (of last name Chatterjee) whose job was to mix and create the tempera.

Highlighting Marie-Louise Chassany

Most write-ups on Amrita Sher-Gil have a note on the purported relationship between her and Marie-Louise Chassany.

Good Works By F N Souza: A List

Here is a list of some of Francis Newton Souza's "good" works. This list is by no means definitive or exhaustive.

Which Are M. F. Husain's Best Works?

As a collector, it would be a common thing to ask, which are the best works of India's esteemed artist, M. F. Husain.

Jewels Of Indian Art Go Missing

Recording the possible disappearance of two works by Jamini Roy & Abanindranath Tagore.

$412,000 for School of Ravi Varma

Raja Ravi Varma was a commercially successful portrait painter in 19th century India. He had even established a printing press to make prints of his canvases and these prints/oleographs became very popular.

Sailoz : National Art Treasure

There are nine artists considered to be National Art Treasures - The three Tagores (Abanindranath, Gananendranath, Rabindranath), Ram Kinker Baij, Jamini Roy, Nicholas Roerich, Nandalal Bose, Amrita Sher-Gil and lastly Sailoz Mukherjee.

F N Souza: Classic Heads & Nudes

Francis Newton Souza's oeuvre was immense - however, the current fixation appears to be over his 1955 era heads (portraits) and his landscapes. Nudes which are an important part of his oeuvre are mostly undervalued and not given their due.

Architecture As A Form Of Art

Artworks from the mid to end of the nineteenth century are highly sought after. Raja Ravi Varma is a well-known name from that era.