Delhi to Oslo: How painting came to light

Wondering how such a landmark

Husain painting

stayed hidden from public eye? Christie's Nishad Avari says the painting was hanging in an Oslo hospital till they found out about it 12 years ago. It had been bought by a Norwegian doctor,

Leon Volodarsky

, who was in Delhi to establish a thoracic surgery centre for WHO. In an article he wrote, Husain's contemporary Krishen Khanna narrated the story of how the doctor spotted the scroll which was painted in 1954. After much suspense, the doctor offered Husain a princely sum of Rs 1,000 for the painting. That, says Avari, was a record price for a work of Indian art then. After Dr Volodarsky's death, it was bequeathed to the hospital. Proceeds from the sale will go to establish a centre for doctors.