Even Raza was encouraged by Alliance Francaise at an exhibition held at a public hall now, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). Finally, the devout is in Mumbai, at NGMA, with baggage comprising 114 works of great avant garde masters.

The Vollard collection from the Leon Dierx Museum in Reunion Island, titled `French Avant-Garde, 1880-1930', is travelling out for the first time. The artistic assortment gifted to the museum by Lucien Vollard, brother of noted art patron of the impressionistic era, Ambroise Vollard has been brought to India by the Embassy of France and the museum. Displayed under tight security, the masterpieces recount the tale of two worlds. One of the French avant garde period -- beginning with the impressionistic movement in 1880 and ending with fervism inthe early 20th century. And that of Vollard, called `vampire' for his bad temper, and his association with French artists of the times.

Arranged on the three levels of the NGMA, the exhibition was inaugurated on Tuesday evening by governor P C Alexander. Others to grace the occasion were French Ambassador to India, Claude Blanchemaison; Cultural Secretary to the government of India, R V Vaidyanath Ayyar; chairperson of the NGMA's advisory committee, B G Deshmukh; honorary director of NGMA, Saryu Doshi and director of the Delhi counterpart Anjali Sen. While all the 63 artists whose works are part of the Vollard collection are famous enough Pablo Picasso, Renoir, Degas, Paul Gauguin, Vuillard, Marc Chagall and Georges Roualt --little is known about the collector himself. Vollard opened his first ``shop'' in Paris in 1895. The following year, he changed address, which was to become, till 1924, the famous Vollard Gallery.

A genius for some and profiteer for others, Vollard encouraged young, unknown artistsby sometimes buying their entire works, among them Picasso. Though he liked the artist initially and organised his first ever exhibition, word has it that their relationship soured later. He is said to have encouraged painters like Louis Valtat to take to sculpting the result is work on ceramic plates.

Besides collecting the paintings, drawings, sculptures and lithographs of artists he fancied, Vollard also published works, for the illustrations which he engaged these artists Marc Chagall illustrated the Bible for him. Three of these are on display on the third floor. Vollard also brought out albums of original prints. Ambroise Vollard died at 73 in a car accident in 1939. With no direct inheritor, his brother Lucien sold most of the 4,500 works from his collection before the World War II. While around 300 of them were selected by The Leon Dierx Museum, Reunion Island where Vollard was born, 114 have been brought here.

The attraction of the display are Picasso's works a bronze mask worth Rs 27 crore,`The Three Friends' and `The Fugal Meal'. A guided tour through the rest crystallises the transition from the impressionistic era, Gustave Caillebotte being the pioneer, to neo-impressionism when the paintings were fine dotted works with more light. This is followed by works influenced by Japanese block prints that came to Paris in 1890 and an intellectual movement when colours were most important. Other attractions are Rouault's `Devil' series and the Moroccon influence on Henri Matisse's works. After December 15, the exhibition will travel to Singapore.