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Extraordinary Highlights of Asian Art
Seven centuries of artistic excellence are on view at Sotheby’s New York galleries from March 13-21.
T his March, explore the rich legacy of Asian Art at Sotheby’s, where tradition and innovation join in a stunning showcase. From ancient masterpieces to contemporary expressions, discover seven centuries of artistic excellence at our exhibition in our New York galleries from March 13-21, culminating with a series of live and online auctions that begin on March 17.
On March 17, Modern & Contemporary South Asian auction brings a curated selection of paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the region’s most celebrated artists.
The sale is led by a masterpiece by Jagdish Swaminathan titled Homage to Solzhenitsyn. Other highlights include masterworks by Jehangir Sabavala, Francis Newton Souza, Maqbool Fida Husain, Ganesh Pyne, George Keyt and Zubeida Agha.
Jagdish Swaminathan’s ‘Homage to Solzhenitsyn’
Homage to Solzhenitsyn is a monumental work and an early painting in Jagdish Swaminathan’s acclaimed Bird and Mountain series. Envisioned as a tribute to the Russian author and activist Aleksandr Isayevich, this triptych is an uplifting testament to the enduring power of the human spirit as expressed via landscape, with rolling hills of blue, amber and purple set against a bright yellow sky.
Jehangir Sabavala’s ‘The Journey of the Magi’
Painted in 1963 during a crucial period when Jehangir Sabavala was developing his mature style, The Journey of the Magi depicts the Biblical tale of the three magi, a trio of learned men who visited Jesus soon after his birth. Sabavala reimagines this subject, popular among Old Master painters, in a semi-abstract style, bringing the story to life through his characteristically deft handling of light.
Rao Bahadur Mahadeo Vishwanath Dhurandhar’s ‘Untitled’
A longtime instructor at the famed Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, Dhurandhar was a master of academic realism who produced this masterwork towards the end of his accomplished career. The artist channeled his decades of experience into this temple scene, filling the canvas with rich details that capture the excitement and commotion of a religious ceremony.
Madhvi Parekh’s ‘Flower Seller’
Inspired by both Pichhwai paintings and Paul Klee, Madhvi Parekh’s art is an inventive synthesis of the traditional and the modern. Flower Seller is dominated by the eponymous figure, who is rendered abstractly and surrounded by a constellation of energetic small characters which lend the piece a sense of both dynamism and whimsy. With its variety of color and shape, this early masterpiece shows the magical chaos of the market and its interconnectedness.
Bhupen Khakhar and Vaman Rao Khaire’s ‘Amitabh Wounded’ and ‘Rekha at Nathadwara’
An era-defining work by Bhupen Khakhar, Amitabh Wounded and Rekha at Nathadwara were commissioned for the ambitious 2001 show at Tate Modern, London, “Century City: Art and Culture in the Modern Metropolis.” These pieces are double-sided, with artist Vaman Rao Khaire painting Rekha, the iconic queen of Bollywood, and Amitabh Bachchan, the biggest star Bollywood has ever known. In these complex works, Khakhar depicts many scenes, among them a surreal worship scene, replete with a band of winged angels, a playful tableau of the artist in his studio, Bachchan in a white suit and landscape elements.
Nicholas Roerich’s ‘Tangla Chain’
Painted en plein air during Nicholas Roerich’s multiyear exploration of the Himalayan region, Tangla Chain is a impressive distillation of the area’s awe-inspiring natural beauty by the only foreign-born artist designated as a National Treasure Artist by the Indian government. In this work, interlocking mountain chains with sharp white peaks thrust majestically into the air; their crisp silhouettes are juxtaposed against a cloudless cerulean blue sky.
On March 18-19, the Chinese Art auction features a comprehensive presentation of Ming and Qing porcelains, early ceramics, jades, classical furniture and more.
Leading this auction are important deaccessions from the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Newark Museum of Art and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The sale also features a selection of important Chinese Art from the Jane and Leopold Swergold Collection, Marchant Chinese jades and an array of classical Chinese furnishings from an Important American Collection.
Rare Celadon-Glazed Hu-Form Vase
The present vase is an extraordinary treasure. Grandly potted in a subtle curvaceous form and glowing with a soft ineffable palette of sea-green celadon, the vase represents the very zenith of monochrome porcelain production under the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1723-35). Combining the cutting-edge innovations in glaze chemistry of the eighteenth century with an undying respect and reverence for the antique, this remarkable piece epitomizes the grand yet thoughtful aesthetic embraced by the Yongzheng Emperor.
He Chaozong’s ‘Dehua’ Figure of Standing Guanyin
This extraordinary sculpture exudes an ethereal elegance. Delicately crafted, with intricate folds in the robe cascading like ripples of silk, the figure simultaneously embodies both movement and stillness while its bright glazed surface gleams with a soft and pure luminosity. Every detail, from the gentle gestures of the hands to the intricate ornamentation of the hair, speaks to an extraordinary level of craftsmanship and artistry – a level attained by only the most prestigious of Dehua artisans and, chief among them, He Chaozong.
‘Jun’ Purple-Splashed Flowerpot
Glowing with a captivating palette of vibrant pinks and royal purples, the present lot is a rare example of the much coveted “numbered Jun” wares and a testament to the artistic vision and sheer opulence of the early Ming court.
Gilt-Bronze ‘Dragon Head’ Handle
Peering out with grandeur and might, this intricately cast dragon’s head is a rare and spectacular example of Han dynasty metal work of unparalleled provenance. With each scale, whisker, tooth and horn delicately rendered with life-like precision and accentuated with liberal gilding, the present head is as much a piece of art as it is a symbol – a lasting homage to the mastery of an unknown ancient craftsman and the power of his mighty patron.
‘Huanghuali’ Six-Post Canopy Bed
How Ming Dynasty Huanghuali Shaped Midcentury Modern Design
Sumptuously carved with auspicious wan motif railings and sinuous chilong medallions, this magnificent canopy bed is an extraordinary example of 17th-century aristocratic splendor. Employed in the inner quarters by both men and women, beds were the focal point of the house’s private setting, and six-post canopy beds were the most luxurious and impressive type of bed that one could own.
On March 20, Sotheby’s presents a live auction of Indian and Himalayan Art, led by a magnificent large Central Tibetan 14th-century gilt-copper alloy figure of Shakyamuni Buddha from a distinguished Dutch private collection.
Other highlights include several private collections of Indian and Himalayan paintings, sculpture and ritual objects.
Bronze Figure of a Tirthankara
This finely cast bronze figure of a Jain tirthankara (Jain savior) from 11th century South India epitomizes the idealized human image, connotating a transcendent reality. Jain saviors embrace nudity as a symbol of spiritual liberation, and to prevent unnecessary harm to tiny organisms through washing of clothes. In this photo, the tirthankara is framed against the central image of the tirthankara Parsvanatha in a very rare Jain mandala from the 17th century.
Gilt Figure of Shakyamuni Buddha
This superb fire-gilded bronze captures the moment when Shakyamuni Buddha summoned the earth to witness his divine right to enlightenment. Stylistically, it is likely to have been created for Shalu monastery, an important Sakya center near to Shigatse. It is of exceptional size and quality.
‘Agony of a Dejected Lover’: Folio from the Gita Govinda
This intricate miniature painting, from a series probably created as a gift for a royal wedding in 1781, depicts a scene from the poem Gita Govinda – where love is both the path and the destination. Here Radha turns away in silent anguish from her divine lover Krishna, who ensnared, in remorse, confesses his guilt to the assembled Gopis and hesitates to call her back. The painter masterfully orchestrates the composition to heighten the emotional resonance of the episode. A solitary, towering tree stands at the center, acting as both a literal and symbolic divide – Krishna’s regret on one side, Radha’s wounded heart on the other.
‘Three Wondrous Birds’
A simurgh, a benevolent bird in Persian mythology, responds to the supplication of two colorful birds. They stand on a mint green ground amid sprays of flowering plants. This superb painting is possibly an illustration to the Anvar-i-Suhayli (Chapter I Story XXIII also known as “The Lights of Canopus” a book of fables. The present painting is a version of the “Kalīlah wa-Dimnah” written in Persian by Husayn Va'iz al-Kashivi in the 15th century. The fables were originally written in India and known in Sanskrit as the “Panchatantra.”
Portrait of Thangpa Chenpo
This important early painting encapsulates the height of quality achieved at Taklung, a Kagyu monastery established in 1180, and depicts the founder of the monastery, Taklung Thangpa Chenpo (1140-1210), also known as Tashipel. The central and surrounding figures are beautifully rendered with a vivid palette. The artist Thubten Gyatso achieves this with a free and expansive hand, and also skillfully renders perspective through the lotus petals that wrap around the seat. The intricate narrative scene below the central figure appears to be the earliest example in all the extant Taklung paintings.
On March 13-25, important Japanese swords from the Paul L. Davidson Collection will be led by the magnificent Crescent Moon ‘Mikazuki Kanemitsu,’ offered as a single-lot auction on Sotheby’s Sealed.
A 74-lot auction of arms and armor includes examples registered as Tokubetsu Juyo, including an impressive katana attributed to the Yoshioka Ichimonji school, a tanto by Rai Kunitoshi and an early tachi blade attributed to Niji Kunitoshi. Armor and accoutrements of the samurai showcase the excellent craftmanship and quality associated with the warrior class from the Kamakura period through to the centuries of peace established by the Tokugawa shogunate until the late 19th century.
Crescent Moon, the ‘Mikazuki Kanemitsu’
The “Mikazuki Kanemitsu,” or the Crescent Moon Kanemitsu, was rediscovered by Paul L. Davidson (1947-2020), the first President of the American Branch of the Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Art Sword. In 2017, the late Watanabe Taeko (1937–2024), former director of the Sano Art Museum, was preparing her exhibition “Treasure Swords of the Uesugi Clan.” Researching, among many other sources, the list of blades designated Juyo Token (Important Sword) and Tokubetsu Juyo Token (Exceptionally Important Sword), she realized that this tachi, which had reached the latter status in 2008, was indeed the “Mikazuki Kanemitsu'”featured in the Uesugi sword register personally compiled by Uesugi Kagekatsu (1556-1623).
Katana Registered as Tokubetsu Juyo Token
This katana, registered as tokubetsu juyo token (exceptionally important sword) is
attributed to the Yoshioka Ichimonji School during the 14th-century Kamakura period.
![View 1 of Lot 705: A katana registered as Tokubetsu Juyo Token [Exceptionally Important Sword] | Attributed to the Yoshioka Ichimonji School | Kamakura period, 14th century](https://sothebys-com.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/068840a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1181x2000+0+0/resize/222x376!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com%2F41%2F53%2F5aba874a403a9e52fd848f2d6bed%2Fn11741-d46xs-t1-01-group.jpg)
Tachi Registered as Tokubetsu Juyo Token
This tachi, registered as tokubetsu juyo token, is attributed to Niji Kunitoshi (born in 1240), from the 13th-century Kamakura period.
![View 1 of Lot 704: A tachi registered as Tokubetsu Juyo Token [Exceptionally Important Sword] | Attributed to Niji Kunitoshi (born in 1240) | Kamakura period, 13th century](https://sothebys-com.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/03aa25b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1033x2000+0+0/resize/194x376!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com%2Fce%2Fed%2F575bc8674a96b9de580a06bf21eb%2Fn11741-d46xt-group.jpg)
Tanto Registered as Tokubetsu Juyo Token
This tanto, registered as tokubetsu juyo token, is signed Rai Kunitoshi (born in 1240), from the 13th-century Kamakura period.
![View 1 of Lot 703: A tanto registered as Tokubetsu Juyo Token [Exceptionally Important Sword] | Signed Rai Kunitoshi (born in 1240) | Kamakura period, 13th century](https://sothebys-com.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/634da75/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1144x2000+0+0/resize/215x376!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com%2F2a%2F14%2Fd8c9fab945549b35754155e65403%2Fn11741-d46xv-t1-01-group.jpg)
Honkozane Do-Maru Tosei Susoku Armor
This elaborately mounted honkozane do-maru tosei gusoku comes from the Edo period of 18th-19th century Japan. The helmet is signed Myochin Ki Muneyoshi kore o tsukuru (made by Myochin Ki Muneyoshi).
![View 1 of Lot 753: An elaborately mounted honkozane do-maru tosei gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Myochin Ki Muneyoshi kore o tsukuru (made by Myochin Ki Muneyoshi) | Edo period, 18 – 19th century](https://sothebys-com.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2d6a5b2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1500x2000+0+0/resize/282x376!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com%2F92%2Ffc%2F70864fc948b8beffa68cf1e63faa%2Fn11741-d46zx-t1-01.jpg)
Katana Attributed to the Aoe School
This katana is attributed to the Aoe school of Kamakura in the 14th-century Nambokucho period.
