Osian's Auction Catalogue The Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series | October 2004

THE MASTERPIECES & MUSEUM-QUALITY SERIES 43 17 Asit Kumar HALDAR [1890-1964/ b . Calcutta, West Bengal] Portrait of A.N. Jha S/d in Bengali, c.c. Pen & Ink on paper, 20.9.62 22.5x 17.0 cm (8.9 x 6.7 in) Rs. 75,000 – 125,000 $ 1,600 – 2,700 £ 900 – 1,475 ‘It can be seen that none of the likenesses of human figures drawn from his imagination are alike and their physiognomical characteristics were treated according to the peculiarities of the subject matter. Haldar does not favour drawing images just from visual observation in order only to glorify the flesh or express the lure of transient charm.’ – R.C. Nigam, rpt. in Art Journal. p16. 18 Satish Chandra SINHA [1893-1965 b . Calcutta, West Bengal] Portrait of an Old Man Signed in Bengali l.r. Charcoal on paper, c.1943 56.0 x 37.5 cm (22.0 x 14.8in) Rs. 175,000 – 250,000 $ 3,800 – 5,400 £ 2,075 – 2,950 Along with artists such as Atul Bose, Hemendranath Mazumdar, B.K. Ganguly, Jogesh Chandra Seal, among others, Satish Sinha kept alive the interest and respect for the artistic principles of the western academic idiom in Bengal. Some brilliant portrait and nude studies resulted from this focus during the 1920-40s.