JMW Turner watercolour will highlight Jodhpur Auction at $552,000

In a spectacular effort for the Indian Head Injury Foundation, a charity auction will be held at Jodhpur's Umaid Bhawan Palace on March 9, with a JMW Turner watercolour one of the many exciting lots.

JMW Turner watercolour Jodhpur auction
Turner's work has enjoyed renewed popularity of late, demonstrated by a 2,700% increase on estimate seen in a January auction



The sale comes as part of the first annual Jodhpur One World Retreat, an event organised by Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur. Invitees include royalty, philanthropists, celebrities and spiritual leaders.

The Turner watercolour is one of the most highly valued lots of the sale, estimated at $368,000-552,000.

Entitled Cullaly Deedy, Water-Gate in the Outer-Rampart of Seringapatam, the watercolour is part of a series of paintings that Turner completed on the theme of the Seige of Serinapatam, the final conflict of the fourth Anglo-Mysore war (1798-1799).

Executed circa 1800, it has been authenticated by Tate Britan, as well as renowned Turner experts. It is sure to attract strong attention from collectors, as one of just a few works by Turner on an Indian subject. Turner's work is popular on the current market, with another watercolour selling 2,700% above estimate in January.

Also featuring is a strong selection of Indian art, including modernist paintings from the Bombay Progressive Artists Group, such as MF Husain, FN Souza and Ram Kumar.

Andrien etienne Drian
Drian's work was frequently exhibited at the renowned Galerie Devambez in Paris

The top lot of the auction, however, is an eight-panel verre eglomise painted metal screen, which was created in 1928 by the French artist Adrienne Etienne Drian (1890-1965), who is perhaps best known as a fashion illustrator of the 1920s and 1930s.

The Maharaja of Indore, a jazz aficionado, bought the piece at a French exhibition in 1931 for his music room at the art deco Manik-Bagh Palace. It is expected to sell for $736,000-1.1m.

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