An Italian artist who specialized in portraiture, landscapes and genre scenes, Horace van Ruith began working on scenes of daily life in India during and following his trips to Bombay between 1880 and 1884. Untitled (A Brahmin Household) is characteristic of his work, capturing an intimate family moment in the serenity of their own home (estimate $40/60,000). As paintings by the artist are rare and seldom appear on the market, this large-scale tableau-style work is a significant offering this March.

Raja Ravi Varma, now considered a National Heritage Artist, painted Untitled (Damayanti) based on a composition taken from a photograph of a European performance of ‘The Feast of Roses, L’inamorata’, circa 1900 (estimate $500/700,000); in place of the Western actors, Varma re-imagined the scene with the heroine of a popular Sanskrit play, Damayanti. By dressing her in a glimmering sari, the artist brilliantly combines classic Indian mythology with European Realism whilst showcasing his exceptional skill in portraying women. Like many other paintings in the sale, this work by Raja Ravi Varma has celebrated provenance – having originated from the Collection of Fritz Schleicher, the German owner of the renowned printing press in Lonavala.