Masterpieces By Vasudeo Gaitonde Sell For $ 3.75 Million In New York

Bonhams had said the two Gaitonde paintings were created at a "dramatic turning point" in the artist's career.

The auction house's Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian department, has uncovered a vast trove of never-before published documents and correspondence from the famously reclusive artist that will feature in a limited edition catalog of 500 copies dedicated exclusively to the two paintings.

"We are honored to be presenting these works by Gaitonde at an opportune time in the market. The research we have conducted has shed new light on the artist's life and interactions with other artists at a pivotal stage of his career. The early reaction to the previews staged in London and New York indicate that there will be strong competition," head of the department Edward Wilkinson had said.

The auction house said Gaitonde has "finally arrived on the international stage" with a retrospective at the prestigious Guggenheim museum opening on October 24.

His 'non-objective' style, inspired by Swiss painter Paul Klee and Zen philosophy, is recognized for its powerful simplicity and emotional impact.

American artist Morris Graves, who once owned the paintings, said: "They are the most beautiful landscapes of the mind."

Born in 1924, Gaitonde was in his late 30s when he created the paintings.

"Gaitonde's international reputation today is the result of his lifelong and uncompromising pursuit of excellence. His chosen path fraught with difficulties was his unwavering commitment to the idiom of abstraction," the house said.