With its second International Iconic auction titled ‘Masterpieces & Editions’, AstaGuru is set to showcase a medley of works by revered and iconic global artists. The stunning lineup of the auction, scheduled to be held on July 20-21, 2023, represents some of the most important moments in modern art history. The collection also puts a spotlight on the emergence and impact of modern art towards the mid twentieth century with creations by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Bernard Buffet, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro and Salvador Dali. The collection also showcases experimentative artworks by leading contemporary artists including Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, KAWS and Anthony James among others. Here are some of the highlights from the upcoming auction.

Lot no. 10 - Horse Saddled With Time by Salvador Dali

The presented lot is a bronze sculpture executed in 1980. Salvador Dali first explored horse sculptures during the late 1970s and this would go on to become highly popular. This combined two of his most recurrent motifs - horses and clocks. The motif of the melted clock was popularised with his 1931 painting titled ‘The Persistence of Memory’. This is one of the most important works from not just his oeuvre but the Surrealist movement. The clock here replaces the saddle on the horse that can be seen frozen in dynamic motion, with the clock representing the passage of time.

Lot no. 3 - Nu Couché by Pablo Picasso

Picasso’s style of Cubism took inspiration from Georges Braques’ geometric style while also leaning into pure abstraction. He played with dimensions while staying steadfast in his depiction of the third dimension, creating a visual language that would forever immortalise him. The influences of this can be seen in the presented lot - a pencil on paper work executed in 1969 titled ‘Nu Couché’.

Profile by Marc Chagall

Executed in 1959 utilising gouache, colour pencil, Indian ink, colour inks and oil pastel on Japanese paper, ‘Profile’ by Marc Chagall is an impressive example of his colourful works. Meeting Pablo Picasso on his move to Paris in 1911, Chagall was deeply influenced to experiment with Cubism and Fauvism. A new intensity in colours and a contemporary western lexicon appeared in his works that can also be seen in the presented lot.      

Portrait of Joseph Beuys by Andy Warhol

Central to Andy Warhol's works, portraits became a means for him to immortalise several famous icons in his unique and quirky style. Among them are those capturing the influential German conceptual artist Joseph Beuys. These portraits, such as the presented lot, were derived from a single Polaroid photo that Warhol took when he met Beuys for the first time in 1979 in Du¨sseldorf, Germany. First executed in 1980 at the request of Beuys, these portraits continued to feature in Warhol works, even after the death of the German artist. The presented lot, titled ‘Portrait of Joseph Beuys’ was executed in 1980 utilising silkscreen ink on synthetic fabric.

Nu Allongé (Odalisque) by Henri Matisse

The celebrated life and career of Henri Matisse rest on the rich legacy of his oeuvre that fundamentally changed the course of modern art and continues to serve as an inspiration to artists even today. Constantly exploring and evolving through stylistic innovations, the artist adopted several mediums through the course of his career to reinterpret the genre of landscape, still life, portraiture, domestic and studio interiors. The presented lot is one of his many explorations in nudes. Titled ‘Nu Allongé’, the pencil on paper work was executed in 1920.

Titled ‘International Iconic : Masterpieces and Editions,’ AstaGuru’s upcoming auction is set to unveil a medley of works by global masters from varied periods of modern art. This finely curated selection will traverse the rich tapestry of artistic evolution, from the early 20th-century movements to the groundbreaking artistic expressions in the contemporary era with creations by artists, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Bernard Buffet, Marc Chagall, René Magritte, and Joan Miró. The finely curated selection also showcases creations by Surrealist master Salvador Dalí as well as works in three different mediums by famous pop art icon Andy Warhol. Also on offer is a range of signature style creations by globally renowned contemporary artists, including Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Fernando Botero, Anthony James, and KAWS. The auction is scheduled to be held on July 20-21, 2023.

About AstaGuru
AstaGuru was conceptualised in the year 2008 with the sole purpose of creating a safe and secure platform to conduct online auctions for Indian, Contemporary & Modern Art. The word AstaGuru is a thoughtful conjugation of ‘Asta’, of Italian origin, which translates to auction and ‘Guru’, Sanskrit connotation for ‘master’ that indicates our distinguished finesse at being the leaders of auctioneering art and artefacts in India as well as globally. With the world melting into one harmonious digital cosmos, AstaGuru has strived to successfully bridge the gap between prospective buyers and consignors by transcending the limitations of live auctions. AstaGuru imparts effortless transparency to the process of acquiring and selling art and rare collectables. Our diverse portfolio includes categories such as Jewellery & Fine Silver, Timepieces, Textiles, Celebrity Memorabilia, Rare Books, Numismatic, Philately and Vintage Cars. AstaGuru’s mobile app enables our esteemed bidders to follow and participate in our auctions seamlessly, and in real-time.

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