A set of 12 paintings by Rabindranath Tagore are being auctioned at Sotheby's in London. The first painting to go under the hammer has fetched 1,85,000 pounds and the second painting has fetched 2,00,000 pounds. These are record prices for Tagore's paintings.
The aggregate price for all the 12 paintings is more than Rs 10 crore.
The auction has generated tremendous interest and controversy. Anxious Indians want them back, but it is not clear whether the Indian government has any plan to ensure the paintings return to Tagore's country.
The 12 Tagores are the highlight of Sotheby's annual Indian art sale in London. They have been housed in the Dartington Hall Trust in Devon for 71 years, since the time Tagore gifted these to his friends, the Elmhirsts, who have now decided to sell them. Tagore painted about 2000 works in the later phase of his life, 1500 of these are housed in Shantiniketan, West Bengal.
Sotheby's describes these paintings, the reserve price of which has been set at 250,000 pounds, as a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to aquire this standout collection by the national poet.
Holly Brackenbury, Deputy Director in Indian Art, Sotheby's describes a painting in loving detail. "We have a number of figurative works including the Cavelot which is a very typical work, very strong example. This ovoid face, sorrowful eyes, beautifully rendered with pastel and watercolour and it is a subject he's (Tagore) has returned to many times and its been said the subject matter is probably that of his sister-in-law who unfortunately committed suicide at a young age and he was very devastated by that."
The probability that these may be bought by a private collector and then shall never to be seen in India has angered many Indians who think these are part of India's national heritage and should be returned.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has written to the Prime Minister to intervene and ensure that these works of art are returned to India. But it is still not clear whether the Indian government will bid by proxy in the auction or whether they will pass into the hands of a private collector.
Sotheby's says it cannot comment on which collectors have shown interest in the paintings.
