AstaGuru Auction House is set to present its upcoming ‘Iconic Masters’ Auction on July 29–30, 2025, offering a thoughtfully curated selection of rare and important works by India’s most celebrated modernists. This auction will spotlight legacy-defining pieces that have shaped the narrative of Indian art and continue to command reverence across global collections.
A Celebration of India’s Modernist Visionaries
The auction will feature artworks by pioneering masters such as Jamini Roy, Nandalal Bose, F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, Manjit Bawa, Ram Kumar, Krishen Khanna, Anjolie Ela Menon, Akbar Padamsee, Jogen Chowdhury, K.G. Subramanyan, Bhupen Khakhar, and others—offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire works that reflect the evolution of India’s avant-garde movement. Several of these works are making their auction debut, further enhancing the uniqueness of the collection.
AstaGuru’s Vision for Cultural Legacy
Sneha Gautam, Director – Client Relations at AstaGuru Auction House, shares,
“The ‘Iconic Masters’ auction is a celebration of legacy, vision, and rarity. Each work on offer carries a lineage of artistic excellence and a piece of India’s cultural history. We are proud to present a catalogue that not only showcases signature styles but also invites collectors to be custodians of works that shaped modern India’s artistic identity.”
Highlights from the Auction Catalogue
Manjit Bawa’s Iconic Cow Imagery
Featuring on the cover catalogue, lot no. 36 is a serene Manjit Bawa masterpiece featuring his iconic imagery of a cow. Bawa’s use of subdued, soft tonal gradations imparts an ethereal quality to the image, reinforcing the cow’s symbolic presence as a vessel of peace, divinity, and maternal calm. This lot is estimated to be acquired at ₹ 3,00,00,000 – 4,00,00,000.
Rare Works by Nandalal Bose
The auction will present a stunning curation of several works by legendary Bengal School artist Nandalal Bose, including a set of works originally from the collection of E. Kumaril Swamy, a fellow artist and a close associate of Nandalal Bose.
Ganesh Pyne’s Dreamlike Detailing
Lot no. 24 is a beautiful and well-published work by artist Ganesh Pyne. Executed with his characteristic use of watercolour on paper, the composition merges miniature-like detailing with a sombre, dreamlike palette, evoking a timeless atmosphere. The lot is estimated to sell for ₹ 20,00,000 – 30,00,000.
Krishen Khanna’s Bandwallas and Wildlife
Coming from the collection of artist Krishen Khanna, lot no. 32, estimated to sell at ₹ 50,00,000 – 70,00,000, is a signature-style mixed media on canvas work depicting a majestic tiger resting in the jungle. Lot no.44, a set of three works depicting his most famous figures of Bandwallas in three vibrant colours. This is expected to be acquired at ₹ 1,20,00,000 – 1,60,00,000.
A Rare Sculpture by K.K. Hebbar
An extremely unique creation, lot no. 47 is the only known auctioned sculpture executed by artist K. K. Hebbar. Titled Surya – The Sun Chariot, it is estimated to sell at ₹ 1,20,00,000 – 1,80,00,000.
Thota Vaikuntam’s Works on Offer
Three works in the auction, lot no. 42, 50, and 65 belong to the collection of the famous artist Thota Vaikuntam.
F.N. Souza’s Visceral Landscape
Lot no. 56 is a stunning late landscape by F. N. Souza, exemplifying his visceral approach to environment and structure. With a dense web of jagged lines and rhythmic brushstrokes, the composition collapses foreground and background into a frenetic tangle of green, ochre, and blue. This work is expected to sell at ₹ 80,00,000 – 1,50,00,000.
M.F. Husain’s Pandharpur Reflections
Another highlight of the auction is lot no. 64, a unique monochrome work by M.F. Husain. Estimated to be acquired at ₹ 80,00,000 – 1,20,00,000, it reflects his encounters while growing up in Pandharpur and embodies the raw energy of his figures, drawn from observations of the world around him.
Ram Kumar’s Abstract Poetics
Lot no. 68, estimated at ₹ 80,00,000 – 1,20,00,000, is an abstract landscape by Ram Kumar, which perfectly captures the dark yet poetic essence of his works in the 1970s.
Jogen Chowdhury’s Scroll of Reflection
Lot no. 70 titled ;Dream; is a work by Jogen Chowdhury, in effect a scroll of sustained introspection by Jogen Chowdhury, created in his mid-eighties as both a continuation and quiet subversion of his Reminiscences of a Dream Series from the 1970s. This work The concluding lot of the auction catalogue, no. 89 is a monumental rendition of the Bandwalla figure by Krishen Khanna titled Shyam Pratap Bhompu Wala. Estimated to be acquired at INR 40,00,000 – 60,00,000, this sculptural masterpiece is a tribute to the spirited street musicians of India.
Takeaways
Each lot in the ‘Iconic Masters’ auction represents more than aesthetic brilliance—it holds stories of creative courage, personal conviction, and cultural memory. Through this collection, AstaGuru once again reinforces its commitment to preserving artistic legacies while offering collectors the chance to be a part of them.
