An M. F. Husain painting sold at ₹119 crore is now the costliest modern Indian artwork to be auctioned
In “(without title) Gram Yatra”, the role of the rural worker occupies the front of the scene, capturing a company in transition. The presence of agrarian characters, in particular a farmer represented as a literal base for the land, speaks of the deep interdependence between people and the place. “One of my favorite vignettes is the permanent farmer,” said Avari. “The farmer is the central element of Indian society, and here he is shown by holding the land – physically and metaphorically.” Women are also an integral part of the composition of Husain, represented in the roles of work and the provision of care which reflect the themes of resilience and subsistence.
Before the auction in New York, “(without title) Gram Yatra” made a brief return to India, where he was displayed in Delhi for a presale. The event has marked a rare opportunity for the public to engage with the vision of Husain in person, aroused generalized interest of researchers, collectors and the public. “Each time you look at this painting, you find a new story or a new meaning in one of the vignettes,” observed Avari. “It is a fantastic work, and he deserves to be in an institutional collection where more people can see it and better understand the artist through him.”
With its record sale, “(without title) Gram Yatra” reaffirms the growing global assessment of South Asian art. And for those who love anecdotes, it is not the first time that a MF Husain painting broke records during this sale of Christie. At the beginning of 2008, his “ Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12 ”, a large diptych of the Hindu epic, recovered $ 1.6 million, establishing a world record during the same sale of modern and contemporary art of the South Asian. While collectors and institutions are increasingly consider the modernists of India as key figures in the broader history of 20th century art, the Gram Yatra (Husain title is both a rediscovered treasure and a recall of the lasting influence of the movement.
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