Paresh Maity Watercolor on Board – Encounter I

Published by Nevan O Shaughnessy on March 28, 2023March 28, 2023

PRESENTING a GLORIOUS Contemporary piece of Art by a recognized Indian Master – Paresh Maity Watercolor on Board – Encounter I.

Signed and dated 2002 on center right.

This piece has impeccable Provenance!

It was purchased by a Private Dallas Collector at Sotheby’s New York Auction on 18th September 2008. Lot No. 74.

Sotheby’s operate a twice yearly auction of Southeast Asian Art & Antiquities in New York in the months of March and September.

This sale was titled “Modern & Contemporary Indian Art”.

The Lot consisted of a Group of 3 Watercolors by Babu Xavier, Paresh Maity and Ranjit Kurmi. (b.1960, b.1965, b.1970) Three Untitled Works.

Signed and dated ‘Paresh Maity ’02 lower right, watercolor and ink on paper. ….. 5.6 x 3.6 (14 x 9 cm)”.

Exhibited: Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Modern Indian Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, April 8 – June 11 2006.

The Provenance is given as: “Property of Private Maryland Collectors”.

The 3 watercolors carried an Auction estimate of USD 3,000 to USD 4,000 and Sold for USD 4,000 (not including Buyers Premium).

Allowing for inflation alone this would be over $7,000 in today’s value.

We have this watercolor by Paresh Maity and (listed separately) the Babu Xavier watercolor, but not the Ranjit Kurmi watercolor.

As an added bonus and proof of authenticity the painting still retains it’s original Sotheby’s Lot No. Label.

It has substantially increased in value over the years as a HIGHLY DESIRABLE piece from an exhibited and highly collected Modern Indian Master painter.

We also possess the Babu Xavier watercolor in our Collection!

Paresh Maity (born 1965) is an Indian painter. He is a prolific painter in a short career span.

In 2014, Government of India conferred upon him its fourth-highest civilian award the Padma Shri.

Paresh Maity was born in Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal. He has a degree in Fine Arts from the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata and graduated at the top of his class with a Masters of Fine Arts from the Delhi College of Arts.

Paresh Maity has 79 Solo Exhibitions in forty years of his career. In early years he did many watercolors of different locations. He gradually moved from atmospheric scenery to representations of the human form. His more recent paintings are bold and have graphic quality, with a strong color and unusual cropping. His works are in a number of collections, including the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.

He has painted the longest painting in India, that stretches up to over 850 feet.^[6] In August 2010, his 55th solo show with watercolour paintings based on the last 15 poems of poet Rabindranath Tagore, Shesh Lekha (The Last Writings, 1941), opened at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.

79 Solo Exhibitions worldwide.

2017 : Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, presented by Art Musings
2017 : Forty Years of Watercolour, Lalit Kala Academi, New Delhi, presented by Art Alive Gallery
2017 : Lalit Kala Academi, Chennai presented by Gallery Sumukha
2017 : Art Stage Singapore, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2016 : ‘Beyond Horizons’, Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore
2016 : Art 16 presented by Gallery Sumukha, Olympia, London
2016 : Art Stage Singapore, presented by Sanchit Art, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2015 : CIMA Gallery, Birla Academi of Art & Culture, Kolkata
2015 : Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Sydney, Australia
2015 : Art 15 presented by Gallery Sumukha, Olympia, London
2015 : Art Stage Singapore, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2014 : The Arts House, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Singapore
2014 : Art Stage Singapore, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2014 : Art 14, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Olympia, London
2013 : Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, in collaboration with Art Musings
2013 : Art 13, London Olympia, Singapore presented by Gallery Sumukha
2013 : Visual Arts Gallery, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Hong Kong
2012 : ‘Eternal Landscape’, joint show with Ram Kumar at ICIA, Mumbai
2012 : Solo Exhibition Chennai presented by Gallery Sumukha as a part of Chennai Art Festival
2012 : The Arts House, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Singapore
2012 : Art Stage Singapore, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2012 : ‘Kolkata Taj Bengal’, presented by Jaguar Land Rover with Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata
2011 : Chivas Studio, New Delhi and Mumbai
2011 : Gallery Sumukha in association with Wei-Ling Contemporary, Malaysia in Bangalore & Kuala Lumpur
2011 : Art Stage Singapore, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2011 : ‘Shesh Lekha’, Poems by Rabindranath Tagore translated in English by Pritish Nandy
2011 : interpreted by Paresh Maity, NGMA, New Delhi, Mumbai, supported by Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
2011 : ‘Shesh Lekha’, Tao Gallery, Mumbai and CIMA Gallery, Kolkata
2010 : Joint show with Steve McCurry, Chicago, Tourism Centre in association with Art Alive Gallery.
2010 : Group show, Shizaru Art Gallery, London
2010 : ‘The World on a Canvas’, Art Alive Gallery, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
2009 : Montage, Moments & Memories, Art Musings, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 : Gallery Sumukha, Chennai
2018 : An Enchanting Journey, Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
2007 : CIMA Gallery, Kolkata
2006 : Aicon Gallery, Palo Alto, USA
2006 : Visual Arts Gallery, presented by Gallery Sumukha, Hong Kong
2005 : Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, in collaboration with Art Musings
2005 : Arts India, New York. Gallery in Cork Street, London, in association with ICICI Bank
2004 : Alliance Francaise, Singapore, presented by Gallery Sumukha with Easel, Singapore. CIMA Art Gallery, Kolkata
2003 : ‘Shapes in Symphony’, Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi
2002 : Arts India, New York; Venetian Odyssey, British Council, New Delhi
2002 : Tagore Centre, Berlin, Germany
2001 : ‘Venetian Odyssey’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; British Council, New Delhi
2001 : Philip Gallery, London
2000 : CIMA Art Gallery, Kolkata; Gallerie Aspekte, Germany
2000 : ‘Venetian Odyssey’, Hotel Aryanbika, Debrecen, Hungar; Gallerie Mohanjeet, Paris
1999 : Two Decades of Classic Watercolours, Shridharani, Triveni Kala Sangam,
1999 : Gallerie Ganesha,and British Council, New Delhi; Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore
1998 : Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1997 : CIMA Gallery, Kolkata; Aquarell International, Thun, Switzerland
1996 : Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi; Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, New Delhi
1996 : Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi; ARKS Gallery, London
1996 : Paracelsus Rotenfleskdinik Ausgestelt, in association with Galerie Aspekte, Germany
1995 : Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1994 : British Council, Kolkata; Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi; The Gallery, Chennai
1994 : Galerie Aspekte, German; Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi
1993 : Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi; All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, New Delhi
1992 : Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi; Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
1992 : Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai; Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu; Windsor Manor, Bangalore
1991 : Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi; Gallery Katayun, Kolkata; Sophia Duchesne Art Gallery, Mumbai
1990 : Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi; Gallery Katayun, Kolkata
1989 : Gallery Katayun, Kolkata
1988 : Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata
1986 : Good Companions, Kolkata

Awards

2017 : Award from Bihar Government
2016 : Eastern Eye Editor’s Special Award for contribution in field of art in Royal Festival Hall, London
2014 : Padma Shri Award by Government of India
2014 : Cartier Award,St. Moritz. Switzerland Art Masters
2013 : Hall of Fame by Hello (Times of India Group)
2013 : Sera Bengali Award in Kolkata by ABP
2012 : Dayawati Modi Award for Art, Culture & Education
2005 : Indo-American Society
2002 : Royal Watercolour Society, London
1999 : Harmony Award, Mumbai
1993 : British Council Visitorship
1992 : Pt. Ravishankar Award from College of Art, New Delhi
1990 : All India Fine Arts and Craft Society Award for 62nd All India Art Exhibition,
1990 : New Delhi; Award for Outstanding Painting, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata;
1990 : All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Award for Best Watercolour Painting, New Delhi
1989 : National Scholarship Award, Government of India
1988 : Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Celebration Award
1988 : Governor’s Gold Medal from Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata
1987 : Jamini Roy Birth Centenary Celebration Award
1986 : Award, Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata
1985 : Award, Government of West Bengal for Best Water Colour Painting Award,
1985 : Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata
1983 : Gold Medal, USSR

Collections

Paresh Maity’s works are featured in several private and public collections across the world which include:

Leela Palace, New Delhi, Chennai
Ritz Carlton, Bengaluru
Crown Plaza, London
Quilon, London
Leela Palace, Chennai
Steller International Art Foundation, London
British Museum, London
Rubin Museum of Art, New York
National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
Oberoi Group of Hotels; ITC Limited
Welcomgroup Hotels; Tata Iron & Steel Co. Ltd.
Kirloskar; DCM Group of Companies
Jindal Group of Companies; Singhania Group of Companies
Standard Chartered Bank; Citibank; Ranbaxy Laboratories
Godrej; Eicher Group; Dr. Reddy’s; Thapar Group
Williamson Magor Limited; RPG Industries
TAFE; Hindustan Computers Limited; Hindustan Lever
CIPLA; SIEL: Jalans; MAX India; Mayo College, Ajme;
Commonwealth Development Corporation, London
Noon Group, London; Mathys Medical (P) Ltd.
T-3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.
Residency at Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House, India) 2016
Represented in several private and public collections all over the world.
Lives and works in New Delhi, India

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paresh_Maity

It has 3 labels to the rear:

(1) “EIND, NOP 3, 3GMT2 Group of Three Watercolors: Paresh Maity”.

(2) “PM #30”

(3) Encounter I, Paresh Maity, 4 x 5, Watercolor on board, $650, Inquiries – Gallery Artsindia, 212.725.6092/www.artsindia.com, 206 Fifth Avenue at 25th Street”.

Collectors will be aware of the story of Subhash Kapoor, who owned and operated Arts India in NYC up to 2011. It appears that Mr. Kapoor was allegedly involved in the smuggling of antiquities from India over a period of 30 years and he was deported to India to stand trial since 2012. He also has been indicted in NYC. It is important to note, however, that despite this painting having his store’s retail label attached it is most DEFINITELY NOT a stolen or smuggled piece of art. It is a contemporary work of art and not subject to ANY Indian laws restricting it’s export and sale. The ‘artsindia’ label only adds to the intrigue! LOL