Head Turner

Royalty and rock stars from across the world converge to auction artwork dating back to the 11th century

In the scorching May heat,thousands of soldiers fought in the fortress city of Seringapatam in 1799. The month-long battle ended with the death of Tipu Sultan and the victory of the colonisers. While the news led to jubilation in Britain,its celebrated landscape artist JMW Turner gave it permanence in his watercolour. The artist had never visited India,but visualised the scene from across continents. Lost in time,the impression of the battlefield has now resurfaced. The 1800 work will be part of The Jodhpur Auction organised by Bid amp; Hammer on March 9,at Umaid Bhawan Palace .

It will comprise 112 lots,including jewellery,furniture,paintings,artefacts,daggers and sheaths from the Mughal dynasty and sculptures dating back to 11th and 12th centuries. There will be something for everyone, says Ankush Dadha,director of Bid amp; Hammer.

While the total estimate is expected between Rs 35 crore to Rs 45 crore,leading the sale is an eight-panel mirrored and painted metal screen,executed in 1928 by famous French artist Etienne Drian. Estimated to fetch between Rs 4 -Rs 6 crore,this was purchased by the Maharaja of Indore Yeshwant Rao Holkar II at an exhibition in France in 1931. The jazz aficionado gifted it to his daughter,the Maharani of Indore,from whom it came to the Holkar collection. He is equally excited about the Turner work,estimated between Rs 2- Rs 3 crore. Coming from his father Maher Dadhas private collection,it was acquired by the family from Maharaja of Pudukkottai in the 1970s. It was Dadha,however,who discovered that it belonged to Turner,last year,when he was flipping through a catalogue of the National Gallery of Scotland. There was an image of the study of the work there. The similarities were obvious. So we immediately went to Tate to get the work authenticated, says Dadha.

Planned for almost a year,the auction has other significant works as well. If art connoisseurs have Bamapada Bannerjees oil depicting a king giving alms to poor Rs 9 lakh-Rs 12 lakh and MF Husains sardonic oil depicting a semi-nude women Rs 1.25 crore -Rs 1.50 crore,for those interested in rare figurines there is a 16th century gilt bronze figure of Amitabha flanked by two Taras in a pagoda Rs 1.5-Rs 2.25 crore,from the collection of Sumitra Devi Birla. French glass designer Renee Laliques unique suite of six massive lustre Moineaux I ceiling lights is priced between Rs 90 lakh and Rs 1.2 crore.

Proceeds from the auction will be forwarded to Indian Head Injury Foundation,established by Maharaja Gajsingh II of Jodhpur in February 2007,after his son suffered from a serious head injury while playing polo in Jaipur. The lots,though,might have to compete for attention with the audience that is expected to comprise A-listers,from Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker to Amitabh Bachchan,Shah Rukh Khan,Mukesh Ambani,French billionaire Patrick Guerrand Hermes and the Duke of York,Prince Andrew. The star-attraction,however,might be British musician,Sting. The rock star is expected to perform at a private concert. It promises to be a gala, says Dadha.