New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) An untitled oil on canvas painted by modernist master MF Husain in the 1960s, SH Razas Kundalini -- an acrylic on canvas work executed in 1999 -- and a 1988 work by Manjit Bawa will be among the nearly 250 works by modern and contemporary Indian artists at AstaGurus upcoming auction from September 24-26.

The auction, titled Manifest, will showcase a unique amalgamation of modern and contemporary Indian art from the oeuvres of the most celebrated artists in the country, including Amrita Sher-Gil, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Jamini Roy, KK Hebbar, KH Ara, Jogen Chowdhury, KG Subramanyan, Akbar Padamsee, and T Vaikuntam.

Manifest will also showcase works from a vast selection of contemporary Indian artists, including Jagannath Panda, Ravinder Reddy, Surendran Nair, Jitish Kallat, Ranbir Singh Kaleka, Nikhil Chaganlal, Meetali Singh and Mousumi Biswas.

The headlining painting by Husain features three figures with obscured faces, a recurring theme in his art that reflects a stylistic choice that is deeply personal and rooted in the early loss of his mother, whose face he could not remember.

"The faceless figures thus become a poignant symbol of memory, loss, and identity. The painting evokes the essence of the people and community from Pandharpur, where Husain spent his formative years.