Osian's Auction Catalogue Select Masterpieces of Indian Modern and Contemporary Art | June 2009

57 22 Satish Gujral (b.1925) Portrait of Jawaharlal Nehru Oil on board, 1957 Signed in Devanagari and dated in English ‘Gujral 57’ t.l. 47.3 x 32.6 in (119.8 x 82.6 cm) S/d in English ‘Satish gujral 57’ on verso. Provenance Previously from the Artist’s Family Collection INR 4,800,000 – 6,000,000 USD 100,000 – 125,000 “As the first Prime Minister of Independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru had no time to spare for activities other than political. But seeing Satish Gujral’s deft hand at painting, he expressed his desire to have his portrait made by him. Satish went to Teen Murti Bhawan where, when he saw Indira Gandhi, he found her more interesting as a portrait subject than her father. He dared to express his desire to her, and a pleasantly surprised Indira shyly started giving sittings after informing her father… Nehru gave him sittings for over a month for his portrait… And Nehru’s portrait in a pensive mood (1957) forms a historical part of the retrospective exhibition of Satish Gujral’s paintings, paper collages and sculptures at the National Gallery of Modern Art.” - Rana Siddiqui, The Hindu, Feb 6, 2006.