Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji

Panaji, Aug 27: A rare 1957 artwork by modernist master Francis Newton Souza, titled The Castle, is set to be auctioned online by AstaGuru on August 29 and 30, with an estimated price range of Rs 4 to 6 crore.

Executed in oil on Masonite board, the 48 x 30 inch painting is described as one of Souza’s most striking early architectural works. Distinguished by bold black outlines and angular geometric planes, The Castle departs from Souza’s trademark crowded cityscapes to present a single, towering structure in a dramatic vertical format.

Sunny Chandiramani, Director of Client Relations at AstaGuru, said the work stands apart for its “haunting interplay of dark outlines and fiery glows,” adding that it represents a “rare, museum-quality” canvas from a formative phase of the artist’s career.

The piece originates from a Mumbai-based collection and was once owned by Harold Kovner, a key patron who supported Souza in his early years. It has previously been sold at Sotheby’s, the global fine art auction house.

The two-day auction will attract collectors from across the world, offering a chance to own a significant chapter of Indian art history from one of the country’s most celebrated modernist voices.