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

79 THE MASTERPIECES & MUSEUM-QUALITY SERIES 49 Meera MUKHERJEE [ 1923-1997/ b . Calcutta, West Bengal] Untitled Bronze, c. 1988 20.0 x 20.0 x 19.0 cm (7.9 x 7.9 x 12.2 in) Rs. 200,000 – 300,000 $ 4,300 – 6,500 £ 2,375 – 3,550 50 Somnath HORE [ b.1921/ Chittagong, Present- day Bangladesh] Working Woman (S/d at base of the left leg) Bronze, 1998 61.0 x 11.0 x 5.0 cm (24 x 4.3 x 1.9 in) Rs. 350,000 – 425,000 $ 7,550 – 9,200 £ 4,150 – 5,025 ‘The ordinary men and women are now a part of the well recognized Meera Mukherjee signature. Looking beyond traditional methods of shape, she has created a richly detailed portrait of life around her… She combines myths, folklore, peasant art to create new art, expressive of the complexity, unease and psychological darkness of the modern age.’ – Maitreyi Chatterjee, rpt. in Sculptures-Paintings-Sketches by Meera Mukherjee BAAC 1993 ExC. ‘The human image in Somnath Hore including that in the later sculptures, is vulnerable and timid, already rendered energy-less due to weight of the circumstances and the hunger. They cannot resist the outside pressures. They only suffer and offer easy targets for inflicting suffering. They are epitomes of fear and have only each other to give some solace. The elemental forms, for example the stick-like arms and legs are appropriate to his imagery. They resemble bones and at the same time work as armature to hold the sculptural form together.’– Ratan Parimoo, rpt. in Vichitra 2001 .