Osian's Auction Catalogue Creative India Series 1 Bengal | December 2011

s unil k umar p aul b. 1920 Head of abanindranath tagore Bronze (Single Edition), 1950-51 Signature at the base is by Abanindranath Tagore 13.2 x 9.4 x 9.6 in (33.5 x 24.0 x 24.5 cm) Provenance Acquired directly from Artist by private Kolkata-based art dealer- cum-gallery ` 600,000 – 900,000 US$ 12,000 – 18,000 30 1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1910 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 2000 “For four to five days he gave sitting for this portrait each morning between one and one and a half hours. When tired he said ‘Leave it for today’. I used to turn the work towards him everyday to show it before covering it up and leaving. On the last day before sitting he took a good look at the work. He was bald with wavy hair on both sides. He gestured at it and told his grandson ‘Look at the hair style!’ I did not realize that the work was complete. I was still meticulously studying it. He said ‘How much more do you want to work on it?’ I thought he was getting irritated, and he did not want to continue sitting. I said ‘I will now finish it.’ He said ‘No no, don’t finish it. If you finish it then it is finished. This is much better...” [Sunil Kumar Paul, rpt. in Sahni, Rakesh [Curator] [2006]. Sculptures: The Bengal Connection. Kolkata: [ExC.] Gallery Rasa; full colour illustration] np. This quote in turn was extracted from Kichu Smritikotha Kichu Shilpobhabana (Some Reminiscences, Some Thoughts on Art), p.17 (Publisher: Rajya Charukala Parshad, Calcutta 1998)]. Creative India BENGaL | Abanindranath Tagore 67 66