Indian Art, Prints & Paintings for Sale

Indian Artist: Tridib Dutta – My Story

Punjabi Paintings — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:07:39 +0000

I was born in the enchanting land of Assam, (the eastern most part of India) which boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes of my Motherland. My love of art probably started when I was born, when my senses took over. I feel that I inherited this passion from my beloved late father who painted for pleasure.

My journey literally began in my childhood, amidst nature, when I roamed around with my grandfather. We wandered through the countryside, over the fields, through the town and around my home. References of those moments used to peep into my childhood drawings, as they do in my present work.

I am a spiritual person, who derives inspiration from nature where you feel the presence of God in every nook and corner. I celebrate the beauty He has created all around me, through my paintings. I try and feel the presence of God in every aspect of life, both in prosperity and in adversity. I love the colour of nature. The beautiful way light affects the natural world, especially when I see the warm sunlight of the Assam countryside.

My spirituality is simple and straightforward and this is reflected in my work: as is my love and respect for all cultures. I derive spiritual inspiration from the thought that I may bring a little joy to the eyes of those who see my paintings. This is my way of serving people and I believe that serving God’s creation is a form of worship. This is the way my spirituality manifests itself, and how I personally perceive religion. I do very much believe in God, though not in any specific ‘ism.’ My ‘ism’ is to hold fast to the idea of never causing harm, but instead, to serve God by instilling happiness and joy in all others to the best of my capacity.

Recently I have been able to collaborate with Sundeep from England. We share a passion for art, culture, and the representation of Indian landscapes and traditions. Sundeep has endeavoured to capture these themes in an online art gallery, featuring work from all over the Indian subcontinent.

Top 10 Most Expensive Indian Paintings

Punjabi Paintings — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:05:40 +0000

Indian Art is increasingly becoming the focus of both worldwide and national art collectors and investors. International auction houses are recognising the unique nature of the artwork and the global demand for it. This combined with India’s own national growth and with it the emergence of a strong middle class has revived, even boosted, both national and international interest in Indian Art.

In recent years this has resulted in some quite exceptional demand and prices; the following list highlights some of the most expensive Indian paintings:

1.
Painting: Saurashtra
Artist: Syed Haider Raza (Born: 1922)
Size: 78¾ x 78¾ inches | 200 x 200 cm
Year: 1983
Auction Date: 10th June, 2010
Auction House: Christies:
Auction Price: £2,393,250 | $3,486,965

2.
Painting: La Terre
Artist: Syed Haider Raza (Born: 1922)
Size: 74 3/8 x 74 3/8in. | 189 x 189cm
Year: 1973
Auction Date: 30th June, 2008
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: £1,273,250 | $2,537,588

3.
Painting: Birth
Artist: Francis Newton Souza (1924-2002)
Size: 48 x 96 in. | 121.9 x 243.8cm
Year: 1955
Auction Date: 11th June, 2008
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: £1,273,250 | $2,519,762

4.
Painting: Untitled (Figure on Rickshaw)
Artist: Tyeb Mehta (1925-2009)
Size: 59 x 47 in. | 150 x 120 cm
Year: 1984
Auction Date: 11th June 2008
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: £982,050 | $1,918,925

5.
Painting: Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12
Artist: Maqbool Fida Husain (1915-2011)
Size: 74¾ x 107¾ in. | 189.9 x 273.7 cm
Year: 1971-72
Auction Date: 20th March, 2008
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: $1,609,000

6.
Painting: Village Scene
Artist: Amrita Shergil (1913-1941)
Size: 95 x 66cm
Year: 1938
Auction Date: 1st March, 2006
Auction House: Osian’s
Auction Price: $1,556,234

7.
Painting: Falling Bird
Artist: Tyeb Mehta (1925-2009)
Size: 59 1/8 x 47 1/8 in. | 150.3 x 119.9cm
Year: 1999
Auction Date: 10th June, 2010
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: £1,049,250 | $1,528,757

8.
Painting: Tapovan
Artist: Syed Haider Raza (Born: 1922)
Size: 62½ x 74 in
Year: 1972
Auction Date: 29th March, 2006
Auction House: Sotheby’s
Auction Price: $1,472,000

9.
Painting: Untitled
Artist: Vasudeo S. Gaitonde (1924-2001)
Size: 70 1/8 x 42½ in. | 178 x 108cm
Year: 1975
Auction Date: 30th March, 2006
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: $1,472,000

10.
Painting: Mahishasura
Artist: Tyeb Mehta (1925-2009)
Size: 59 x 47¼in. | 150 x 120cm
Year: 1996
Auction Date: 20th September 2007
Auction House: Christies
Auction Price: $1,105,000

Let me know what you think of these paintings, and if you have a favourite :

An Introduction to Indian Art

Punjabi Paintings — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:58:50 +0000

It is widely believed that the Aryan invasion of the Indus Valley, at around 1,500 BC, and their amalgamation with the native Dravidians led to the birth of what we today call Indian culture. With Indian culture came Indian Art in its various forms and it has since flourished in a multitude of formats classified into various periods that reflect particular religious, political and cultural movements.

The history and geography of India have had a tremendous influence on the forms of Indian art, from early rock paintings that pre-date 5500 BC to modern contemporary art paintings that are attracting worldwide attention. Broadly Indian art paintings can be classified into Murals and Miniatures.

Ajanta Cave Mural

Murals are extensive paintings completed on walls and ceilings of solid structures such as the frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the Ajanta Caves, dated around 200 – 600 BC.

Miniature paintings are much smaller paintings usually on paper or cloth. Miniature paintings incorporate many genres and have grown in popularity from the early Mughal paintings through to the modern and contemporary Indian paintings found in many western auction houses. Indian art can be classified into various phases, each phase represents and gives an insight into the country at a particular moment in time.

Ancient Period

Islamic ascendancy (1192-1757)

Colonial period (1757–1947)
Sikh Guru's - Late 19th Century

Independence and the postcolonial period (Post-1947)

Following is a list of some of the main painting styles found in India:

- Madhubani Paintings- Kalamkari Paintings
- Phad Paintings
- Rajput Paintings
- Malwa, Deccan and Jaunpur schools of painting
- Rajasthani Paintings
- Mughal Paintings
- Mysore Paintings
- Tanjore Paintings
- Bengal School
- Modern Contemporary Indian Paintings

Indian Art

Indian Art tells a story of a culture that has been influenced by various external factors, yet Indian Art has continued to retain a uniqueness. Indian art continues to reflect the cultural diversity of India. Each state has its own culture and traditions, these are reflected through dances, languages, religions, customs, festivals and arts and crafts. Art is one way of preserving a heritage, a heritage which is increasingly being challenged by national development and globalisation.

Tell me, what you think about Indian Art…

Kuldeep Manak – A Personal Tribute

Punjabi Paintings — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:28:15 +0000

For many Punjabi people around the world, their first recollection of a pure and traditional Punjabi folk song was most likely though the legendary voice of Kuldeep Manak.

Kuldeep Manak

Kuldeep Manak, born (Latif Mohammed) on 15th November, 1949, has come to epitomise Punjabi folk songs and is indeed seen as an Ustaad (Teacher / Father figure) for many established and upcoming Punjabi artists around the world. Tributes following the death of Kuldeep Manak on Wednesday 30th November, 2011 have further highlighted the iconic status Kuldeep Manak commanded within the Punjabi community.

While i never had the pleasure of meeting Kuldeep Manak, family members and friends have shared fond memories of when Kuldeep Manak performed at various stages. From the old days when he would perform at the annual Pind (Village) Mela (Fair), and more recently at various concert halls in Europe and North America.

Kuldeep Manak was one of the few Punjabi artists who sang in the traditional Kali or Kaliyan style. Kaliyan are a particular genre of Punjabi Folk songs. It is for this reason that Kuldeep Manak was known as Kaliyan Da Badshah (King of Kaliyan). Many of the Kaliyan told stories of some of the great Punjabi love legends. Most famously, the poetic stories of love and tragedy of Heer Ranjha, Sassi Punnu, Sohni Mahiwal and last but by no means least, Mirza Sahibaan.

Kuldeep Manak was able to convey these stories of love and tragedy, something that everyone could relate to, in a unique and inspiring way to a willing and eager audience. With his powerful voice Kuldeep Manak was able to sing about very touching aspects of these legends, which will have an ever lasting impression. Kuldeep Manak’s performances usually involved just a few traditional Punjabi musical instruments, most notably the Tumbi.

Kuldeep Manak was the last of a generation of Punjabi singers who have the ability to appeal to a diverse audience. Kuldeep Manak has a following of both young and old, each appreciate different aspects of his music and performance. It is the music, the lyrics and Kuldeep Manak’s unique delivery that will live in the hearts and minds of Punjabi people forever.

Share your thoughts and memories of Kuldeep Manak below.