Rare Gandhi portrait, for which he agreed to sit, on sale in London

India Today

3 days ago

A rare portrait of Mahatma Gandhi — for which he agreed to pose while seated — is going up for auction in London in July. The painting, painted in 1931 by British artist Clare Leighton, is estimated to be sold for 50,000-70,000 pounds (Rs 58 lakh to Rs 81 lakh), according to a report in The Times of India. The auction house, Bonhams, said the painting is "thought to be the only oil portrait that Gandhi actually sat for," BBC reported.advertisementAccording to the artist's family, a Hindu right-wing activist tried to vandalise the portrait in 1974 when it was publicly exhibited.The rare oil painting is hitting the auction block for the first time, having stayed in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, after which it was inherited by her family. The auction will happen between July 7 and 15 at Bonhams.
"This is a painting of unique historic and cultural significance. It would be great if it could be seen and appreciated more widely, whether in India or elsewhere," Caspar Leighton, a great-nephew of the artist, told the BBC.EVIDENCE OF REPAIR WORK ON THE PORTRAITThough the artist's family claims the portrait was attacked, there is no documented proof to confirm the same. However, the painting shows signs of damage, including what appear to be repaired tears in several areas.advertisement"We have found no documentation to corroborate this (attack), but the painting shows signs of restoration to what appears to be repaired tears in several places. A label attached to the backing board confirms the painting was restored in 1974 by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory," the catalogue entry states, according to the TOI report."There is nothing comparable to this painting in existence as it was painted in his lifetime and was a painting that he sat for on multiple occasions," TOI quoted Rhyanon Demery, head of sales auction house, as saying.Leighton, best known for her wood engravings, met Mahatma Gandhi during his 1931 visit to London for the Second Round Table Conference, a series of conferences organised by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India.At the time, she was introduced to Gandhi by her friend Henry Noel Brailsford, a political journalist who supported India's independence movement.Leighton became one of the very few artists admitted to Brailsford's office and was given the opportunity to sit with Gandhi to sketch and paint him in 1931, TOI reported.GANDHI'S SECRETARY MAHADEV DESAI WROTE LETTER OF APPRECIATIONIn November 1931, Leighton exhibited her portrait works at the Albany Galleries in London.advertisementSubsequently, Gandhi's personal secretary, Mahadev Desai, sent a letter to Leighton — now affixed to the portrait's backing board — expressing gratitude: "It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait."In 2017, a rare pencil portrait of Gandhi was auctioned for 32,500 pounds, about four times its estimated price, according to a report by news agency PTI."Gandhi usually refused to sit for formal photographs, let alone a portraitist, making this an extremely rare portrayal of the political leader at work," the auction house had said in a statement.Must Watch