South Asian Art From Distinguished Collection
Mumbai: Following the groundbreaking success of Christie’s New York South Asian Modern + Contemporary sale during Asia Week, where works achieved outstanding results and contributed to many world auction records, Christie’s is delighted to announce Sublime Shadows: South Asian Art from a Distinguished Collection. Part of the collection (15 lots) will be on display at Christie’s Mumbai office from April 8 to April 13.
This auction represents the first dedicated South Asian Modern + Contemporary sale on King Street in London since 2019 and will feature 93 lots from the same carefully assembled private collection displayed at Christie’s recent New York sale, created between the 1990s and early 2000s with a keen eye and deep passion. The collection unashamedly focuses on Bengal’s artistic heritage and brings together important works that exemplify the evolution of South Asian modernism.
Highlights include:
Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, Untitled, 1971 (estimate: £1,200,000–1,800,000) – A rare abstract painting from a key period following Gaitonde’s introduction to Abstract Expressionism in New York. Widely regarded as India’s leading abstract painter, Gaitonde produced only a handful of works each year. This luminous, thoughtful canvas exemplifies his mature language and is among his most important works to emerge in recent years.
Ganesh Pyne, The Fisherman, 1979 (estimate: £250,000-350,000) – Center of Sublime Shadows is a group of Pyne’s works from the 1970s, including The Fisherman. Following two consecutive world-record results at the New York sale on March 25, the collection includes works ranging from large tempera paintings on canvas to smaller sketches. These pieces reveal his unique “poetic surrealism”, drawing on Bengali folklore, mythology and memory. Pyne’s works are rarely seen at auction and attract strong international interest; This represents the pinnacle of his carefully developed visual language.
Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar, Untitled (Gulmohar Tree), 1962 (estimate: £70,000-100,000) – reflects Hebbar’s innovative synthesis of figuration and abstraction and illustrates his modernist vision.
Meera Mukherjee, Untitled (Wheel Makers), undated (estimate: £60,000-80,000) – Sculpture adapting traditional Dhokra (lost wax) casting techniques to modern, everyday subjects. His works stand out with rhythmic compositions that emphasize labor, movement and the dignity of ordinary life.
The landmark live auction will take place on London’s King Street on 11 June 2026, following Christie’s record-breaking South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art auction in New York on 25 March, which fetched $27,097,450, the highest total for the category outside India.
Damian Vesey, International Specialist for South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art at Christie’s, said: “We are thrilled to bring this outstanding collection to London. The city has long been a major center for appreciating South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art, and recent major institutional exhibitions further strengthen this legacy. The remarkable success of the eight works by Sublime Shadows offered at our recent New York auction – including two world auction records for Ganesh Pyne – underlines the depth of international demand. This collection has been assembled over 100 times.” Focusing on artists whose works are rarely released, Sublime Shadows offers collectors and enthusiasts the opportunity to experience works of exceptional quality and historical significance, many of which have not been seen publicly for decades.
Traveling Exhibitions
Selected highlights will go on international tour ahead of the London auction:
Mumbai | 8-13 April
New York | 27-29 May
London | 6–10 June
