What’s this brouhaha all about? Loss of heritage? For nearly 70 years the 12 "priceless" Tagore paintings that were recently auctioned by Sotheby’s for Rs 10.9 crore were lying with the Dartington Hall Trust and not a single voice was raised from India to claim them. Perhaps no one even had knowledge of their existence. Yes, what can be rued is that the works could have fetched higher prices. And also, why should personally gifted works go under the hammer? Given the relationship the poet shared with the Elmherst couple, the paintings should have been cherished possessions and not parted with. Some even feel it’s an act of "disrespect" for the painter. But the only consolation is that some of the canvases have gone into the hands of Asians, including a Bengali, settled abroad. However, even if we did acquire the heritage works, they would have probably collected dust in some forsaken corner. "Let Tagore adorn the renowned galleries of the world. A painter of his stature should get greater exposure through international art houses," felt eminent Bengal painter Jogen Chowdhury.
The art frat is now looking forward to another famed frame that will go under the hammer from Spanish painter Pablo Picasso’s celebrated Blue Period on June 23. But it’s for charity. "Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto" has been priced at 30 to 40 million pounds and is being billed as one of the most important paintings to go up for bidding in decades.
The monochromatic painting, characteristic of this phase in his life (1901-1904) is in tones of blue and grey. Most of the portraits that Picasso brought to life during the Blue Period were set in sheer blue or bluish green tint, a bit depressing, and in a way, "imitating" El Greco’s elongated figures. The Blue Period paintings are selling for millions across the world now but at that time, the Spanish painter could not find many takers. It’s a different matter that he was one of the richest painters the world saw.
The paintings were mostly created in Paris, at least "Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto" was, and then it changed countless hands. The man in the painting is Picasso’s painter friend, whom he fondly referred to as "amusing wastrel". Angel Fernandez was fun loving and liked spending more time drinking and carousing than engaging himself in more serious pursuits of life. But he captured Picasso’s imagination and the result was the 1903 classic portrait, depicting him enjoying a smoke and a peg in a bar. The oil painting is currently owned by musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
To come back to Tagore, the poet was a much-travelled man who befriended many in the country and also during his trips abroad. Leonard Elmherst was one such acquaintance who warmed his way into the bard’s heart. So close were they that Tagore is even believed to have asked him to travel with him as his personal secretary to China and Argentina. And it was at his behest that Leonard decided to marry Dorothy and set up an estate at Devon, England. So during his along association with Leonard and then with Dorothy, Tagore gifted them the paintings. According to the archives of the Trust, Tagore visited Dartington for the second time in 1930 when he was nearing 70.
In a burst of creativity, probably affected by the beauty of the locale, one day he asked for bottles of colour. Consequently, some timeless pieces of art emerged from his brush and it’s most likely these were the controversial paintings. Unlike Picasso's, however, Tagore’s art never reflected the various phases in his life. In terms of stylization, the Spanish painter went through multifarious influences, sometimes affected by his relationships, that was reflected in his prolific output.
Creative minds are touched by circumstances, situations, emotions and who knows who is hoarding other collectibles of the Nobel Laureate? There would probably be more such auctions. But every time a canvas went under the hammer, would we regret the loss of heritage and pressure the government to "buy" them back?
Susmita Mukherjee is a journalist at The Times of India in Kolkata. She has been in the profession for about two decades and is really amazed at the way the profession has evolved over the years, driven especially by the internet. From the time-framed world of editorials, rewrites and production deadlines, she looks for refuge in the colours of life, where nothing interferes with her thoughts.
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