A 1968 celestial masterpiece, 'The Star that Beckons', by Indian modernist painter Jehangir Sabavala, will go under the hammer at Saffronart's upcoming live evening sale on March 13 here.

The landscape, which will be among 65 art works to be exhibited at The Four Seasons here, is estimated at Rs 2.5 - 3.5 crores. The painting is said to encapsulate the subtlety and sensitivity of the artist at his best.

The sale will also feature 'Falling Bird' by Tyeb Mehta, a strikingly composed painting of a morphed creature that is part human, part bird. The painting is estimated at Rs 5 - 7 crores.

Among the sculptures on offer will be Meera Mukherjee's 'Balance'.

The work, estimated at Rs 3.75 - 4.5 crores, is one of the largest non-public sculptures to enter the auction market.

The sculpture section will also include works by Himmat Shah, Sadanand Bakre, and Jacob Epstein's bust of Rabindranath Tagore.

"Saffronart's Evening Sale in March is a highlight of the spring season in Mumbai. We are thrilled to have sourced exceptional works of art with excellent provenances, notably masterpieces by Jehangir Sabavala, Tyeb Mehta and Nicholas Roerich, which are being offered at auction for the first time.

"Collectors can look forward to some wonderful discoveries, including a monumental sculpture by Meera Mukherjee, which was exhibited at the Birla Academy in 1995 and ranks as one of her most outstanding achievements," Hugo Weihe, CEO of Saffronart, said.

Further highlights include works by Jagdish Swaminathan, Bhupen Khakhar, Madhav Satwalekar, and two paintings by A A Almelkar and S H Raza which were shown at the Venice Biennales in the 1950s.

The auction will be preceded by viewings at The Oberoi in New Delhi and at Saffronart here, between March 1 and 12. PTI