Art of the Past, one of the leading galleries which specializes in fine art and antiquities from South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, and Islam, is pleased to announce its debut exhibition, By Brush and Chisel, during Asian Art in London which opens on November 3 to12, at Gallery 8, 8 Duke St., St. James's, London. 

“We are extremely honored to be the first gallery from the United States taking part in Asian Art in London,” said Subhash Kapoor. “This is an important event on the calendar for Asian art enthusiasts, and we look forward to welcoming both old and new clients to our exhibition.” Prior to this year, the ten-day annual event was only open to Asian art dealers from London.

According to Kapoor, By Brush and Chisel will feature 85 works of art, 50 of which are miniature paintings, with the remainder consisting of sculpture and large paintings and wall hangings.  “We carefully curated this exhibition to highlight artworks that are masterful examples of their respective genre,” said Kapoor.  “The emphasis of these selections is on the quality, execution, and aesthetic beauty of their representation.”

One of the exhibition’s main highlights is the fine collection of Islamic art -- an outstanding collection of paintings from the Mughal courts, dating from the 16th to 18th centuries. This is exemplified by the Imperial Mughal painting, Bhisma and Yudhisthira Discuss the Issue of Trust: An Illustration from the Razm-nama, ca. 1598-1600.

Among the other notable works included in the exhibition are:

A fine sandstone, Apsara Plucking Thorn from Foot, from Madra Pradesh in Central India, dating to the 11th century; an exceptional gilt bronze, Maitreya Bodhisattva, from Central Tibet, and dating from the 15th century; a spectacular 15th century Sutra Cover with an ornate depiction of colorful bodhisattvas, from Tibet; and a rare and large 12th century, Chola Period bronze, Uma Parameshvari, from Tamil Nadu, in Southern India.

ABOUT ART OF THE PAST

For the past 37 years, Subhash Kapoor, founder of Art of the Past, has attracted collectors, museum curators, and Asian art enthusiasts to its Upper East Side gallery, located at 1242 Madison Avenue, between 89th and 90th Streets. With a strong emphasis in sculpture, painting, and the decorative arts from South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, and Islam, their collection of approximately 5,000 art works ranges in date from the 3rd millennium B.C.E. to the early 20th century.  The gallery has sold works of

art to numerous world-renowned museums, institutions, and distinguished private collectors.  Among them are The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington D.C.; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco; The Art Institute, Chicago; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond; Musée des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet, Paris; Museum fűr Indische Kunst, Berlin; The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto; and the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore.

Art of the Past and Subhash Kapoor, from his private collection, have been committed to supporting and furthering research and awareness of the art and culture of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, and Islam by lending artworks to many of the most important museum exhibitions and publications. 

Subhash Kapoor learned the importance of supporting these projects from his father, Sri Parshotam Ram Kapoor, who had a painting from his collection published in the trailblazing, Indian Painting: The Scene, Themes and Legends (1968), by John Kenneth Galbraith and  M.S. Randhawa.   These exhibitions include: The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India (1993), Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Devi - The Great Goddess: Female Divinity in South Asian Art (1999); at the Freer & Sackler Galleries, Washington DC; Dancing to the Flute - Music and Dance in Indian Art (1997) National Gallery of New South Wales, Australia; On The Nalanda Trail: Buddhism in India, China and Southeast Asia (2007); at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore; and, Vishnu: Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior (2011), The Brooklyn Museum, New York.

Subhash Kapoor co-sponsored a pivotal publication, Painters of the Pahari Schools (1998), on the study of painters who lived and worked in the hill states of the western Himalayas.  A large portion of his collection of ancient art from Chandraketugarh was published in the compendium, Chandraketugarh: A Treasure House of Bengal Terracottas (2001).  In 2007, Subhash Kapoor donated his collection, Mala ke Manke: 108 Indian Drawings, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Columbia University, New York, in the memory of his parents.  This collection had been previously exhibited at the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, and the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and was accompanied by a full catalog.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art presented an exhibition of this collection, Living Line: Selected Indian Drawings from the Subhash Kapoor Gift, from March 25, 2009–September 6, 2009.  This exhibition provided an unfettered insight into the creative process that underlies Indian miniature painting and signaled the importance of the art of drawing in the later court arts of Hindu India.

Art of the Past will also participate in Asia Week New York, held from March 16 to 24, 2012.

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By Brush and Chisel, opens to the public on Thursday, November 3 through Saturday, November 12.  Gallery hours are Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.  For additional information visit: www.artofpast.com or call 212-860-7070.