Osian's Auction Catalogue The Masterpieces Series | March 2010

161 The Masterpieces SerieS 103 n ataraJ S harMa (b.1958) Motor (on a stool) Charcoal on paper, 1995 S/d in English ‘Nataraj July 95’ l.r. and on verso 21.2 x 14.5 in (54.0 x 37.0 cm) INR 480,000 – 720,000 US$ 10,000 – 15,000 102 n ataraJ S harMa (b.1958) Two Figure Study Oil on paper, 1992 Illegible sign on verso 55.4 x 21.8 in (73.5 x 28.9 cm) INR 800,000 – 1,200,000 US$ 16,670 – 25,000 Nataraj Sharma’s delight in the design and functioning of machines is clearly evident in his series of paintings on these inanimate objects. For him, “… the machines have a personality of their own: the press is erect and heavy, the blower is inflated, almost tumescent, the cutter is aggressive yet precise, and the shock absorber spirals elegantly.” (Amrita Jhaveri, A Guide to 101 Modern and Contemporary Indian Artists , India Book House, 2005, p.158).