Auction introduction: This March, Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary South Asian auction comprises exceptional works by the Subcontinent’s most celebrated creators. The auction is led by a monumental 1959 painting by the lauded artist Sayed Haider Raza. Titled Kallisté – Greek for ‘most beautiful’ – this kaleidoscopic landscape was painted at the apex of Raza’s 1950s production, one of his most revered periods. Akbar Padamsee’s 1962 stylized portrait, Head, is the other leading lot in the sale. Profoundly evocative of his iconic Prophet series, Head encapsulates the sculptural, figurative elements for which Padamsee’s early, highly coveted work is known. From the Estate of Bhupen Khakhar hail two masterpieces by the artist, Hatha Yogi and Savita. This auction also features exceptional examples that spotlight the evolution of Sayed Haider Raza’s style, illustrating his phases of abstraction over almost three decades. Other highlights include an early work by leading contemporary artist Atul Dodiya and a fresh-to-market painting by Jehangir Sabavala titled Nocturne. Sourced from Japan to Los Angeles, Paris to Singapore, from across India to New York State, the works in this auction indicate the extraordinary reach of South Asian art and its appreciation amongst the international art community. With storied provenances such as the Chester and Davida Herwitz Collection and patrons across the world, this sale offers countless gems that were carefully selected to epitomize the beauty and complexity of the genre.