Nearly two dozen paintings by one of the world's most celebrated modern artists - once part of a record-breaking art deal - are set to hit the auction block for the first time next week.
On 12 June, 25 rare MF Husain paintings will go under the hammer at an art gallery in Mumbai city, more than two decades after he painted them.
This will be the first public glimpse of the paintings, locked away in bank vaults since 2008 after authorities seized them from a prominent businessman over an alleged loan default.
"It's like the paintings have come full circle," says Dadiba Pundole, director of Pundole Art Gallery, where the auction is set to be held.
Husain used the gallery as his studio for many of these works, part of an ambitious 100-painting series he never finished. Often called the "Picasso of India," he was one of the country's most celebrated - and controversial - artists. His works have fetched millions, but his bold themes often drew criticism. He died in 2011, aged 95.
