MUMBAI.- Saffronart, the world’s largest online fine-art auction house, presents ‘Words and Lines’, second in a new series of 24-hour online auctions. This auction features 90 lots, including rare and important publications on Indian artists and drawings by 26 modern Indian artists. The total lower and higher estimates for the Words & Lines 24-hour auction are Rs. 97.3 lakh (US$ 224,000) and Rs. 1.3 crore (US$ 300,000). The auction will begin on April 20 at 8:00 pm (IST) and will take place online at www.saffronart.com.

This sale will offer collectors access to a wide range of modern drawings dating from as early as the 1940s, and a selection of significant art books at very attractive estimates, and will be accompanied by online and mobile catalogues. Artists featured in this 24-hour online auction include F.N. Souza, Nasreen Mohamedi, K.K. Hebbar, M.F. Hussain, S.H. Raza, Jehangir Sabavala and more, whilst some of the prominent authors of books in the sale Edwin Mullins, Richard Bartholomew and Shiv S. Kapur, Jacques Lassaigne, and Geeta Kapur amongst others.

Amongst the lots is a rare set of pages from F.N. Souza’s personal scrapbook from the 1960s, offering an intimate glimpse into his personal life at a very important juncture in his career. Other highlights of the sale include books and catalogues inscribed and illustrated by artists like Souza, Jehangir Sabavala, Manjit Bawa and Sakti Burman, alongside out-of-print art publications dating from the 1950s including some of the first monographs published on Indian artists in India and abroad. Also included in this auction are drawings and catalogues from the personal collections of the eminent critic Rudy von Leyden, and patron and collector Julian Hartnoll.

Co-founder and CEO of Saffronart, Dinesh Vazirani said, “With this series of 24-hour online auctions, we are offering collectors and the art trade a new and more frequent avenue to purchase significant lots at auction. Our previous 24-hour auction saw active participation from both seasoned and first time bidders, reinforcing the continuing demand for quality works of Indian art. At this auction, the wide array of drawings along with some noteworthy books will provide collectors with an opportunity to acquire quality works at attractive price estimates.”