Panaji: ‘Christ in a Village’, a 1958 work by Goan-origin modernist Francis Newton Souza, is estimated to fetch Rs 12-18 crore at Saffronart’s Autumn Auctions this month, making it one of the key works in the sale.A work from Souza’s mature practice, ‘Christ in a Village’ reflects his bold, distorted visual language and enduring engagement with Christian imagery. Throughout his six-decade career, Souza’s religious imagery drew heavily on Roman Catholic iconography.The painting is Lot 15 in the auction, which will feature 200 lots of artworks in an online sale on September 21 and 22.Dinesh Vazirani, CEO and co-founder of Saffronart, said, “Important works of modern Indian art, including F N Souza’s interpretations of his iconic head, were created during a pivotal period in his career. Together, the selection offers collectors a compelling representation of India’s rich and evolving artistic traditions.”Another Souza work, ‘Hanuman the Monkey God’ (1965), will also feature in the auction as Lot 13. The gouache on paper is estimated at Rs 1.5–2.5 crore and showcases the influence of Souza’s collaboration with artist Mohan Sharma, who trained in the Nathdwara tradition at the JJ School of Art.The auction also includes works by S H Raza, A Ramachandran, Manjit Bawa and Madhvi Parekh, alongside rare antiquities.
