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Mint
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Gandhi's only known oil portrait, painted during 1931 London visit, sells for over ₹1.75 crore at Bonhams auction
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, painted in 1931 during his historic visit to London, has been sold for £152,800 (approximately ₹ 1.75 crore) at a Bonhams auction — more than double its estimated price of £50,000 to £70,000. The painting, created by British artist Clare Leighton, is believed to be the only oil portrait for which Gandhi personally sat. According to Bonhams, it had never before been offered at auction and was the top lot in the "Travel and Exploration" sale held online between July 7 and 15. The portrait was completed during Gandhi's attendance at the Second Round Table Conference in London, where he represented the Indian National Congress to discuss constitutional reforms for India. The artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi by political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, a known supporter of the Indian independence movement. The artwork remained in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, after which it was passed on to her family. The portrait carries a complex history; Leighton's family recalled that it may have been attacked with a knife by an RSS activist during a public exhibition in 1974. Documentation attached to the frame confirms the painting was restored that same year by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory. This is not the first time a portrait of Gandhi has fetched a significant price at auction. In 2017, a rare pencil portrait of Gandhi sold for £32,500 — roughly four times its estimated value.
Mint
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Gandhi's only known oil portrait, painted during 1931 London visit, sells for over ₹1.75 crore at Bonhams auction
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, painted in 1931 during his historic visit to London, has been sold for £152,800 (approximately ₹ 1.75 crore) at a Bonhams auction — more than double its estimated price of £50,000 to £70,000. The painting, created by British artist Clare Leighton, is believed to be the only oil portrait for which Gandhi personally sat. According to Bonhams, it had never before been offered at auction and was the top lot in the "Travel and Exploration" sale held online between July 7 and 15. The portrait was completed during Gandhi's attendance at the Second Round Table Conference in London, where he represented the Indian National Congress to discuss constitutional reforms for India. The artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi by political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, a known supporter of the Indian independence movement. The artwork remained in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, after which it was passed on to her family. The portrait carries a complex history; Leighton's family recalled that it may have been attacked with a knife by an RSS activist during a public exhibition in 1974. Documentation attached to the frame confirms the painting was restored that same year by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory. This is not the first time a portrait of Gandhi has fetched a significant price at auction. In 2017, a rare pencil portrait of Gandhi sold for £32,500 — roughly four times its estimated value. The sale highlights both the historical and symbolic value of rare visual representations of Gandhi, particularly those created during critical moments in India's struggle for independence.
Deccan Herald
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
Mahatma Gandhi oil portrait fetches whopping Rs 1.75 crore at UK auction
The portrait artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi when he visited London in 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference. Her portrait of Gandhi fetched triple its estimated amount at the auction.
Hindustan Times
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rare Mahatma Gandhi oil portrait sold for ₹1.75 crore at UK auction: 'Testament to Gandhi's power'
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, believed to be the only one he sat for the artist to paint, has fetched triple its estimate at 152,800 pounds or ₹1.75 crore in a Bonhams auction in London. The portrait artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi when he visited London in 1931(Bonhams) The painting, which had never before been offered at auction, had been on offer for an online auction with a guide price range between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds and was the top lot of the Travel and Exploration sale, which concluded on Tuesday. The portrait artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi when he visited London in 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference. "Thought to be the only oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi, which he sat for, this was a very special work, which had never before been offered at auction,' said Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams Head of Sale. "Completed in London by the artist Clare Leighton, mainly known for her wood engravings, this work was a testament to Gandhi's power to connect with people far and wide, and presented a lasting document of an important moment in history,' she said. The portrait remained in the artist's collection until her death in 1989, after which it was passed down through her family. 'It is no wonder that this work sparked such interest across the globe,' added Demery. At the time of painting it, Leighton was in a relationship with the political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford. A passionate supporter of Indian independence, Brailsford had travelled to the country in 1930, later publishing the book 'Rebel India' in support of the Indian independence cause, the year he first met Gandhi at the Round Table Conference. Bonhams said that it was through this connection that Leighton was introduced to Gandhi. She was one of the very few artists admitted to his office and was allowed to sit with him on multiple occasions to sketch and paint his likeness, the auction house revealed. In November of 1931, Leighton showcased her portrait of Gandhi in an exhibition at the Albany Galleries in London. Journalist Winifred Holtby attended the opening and wrote about the event in her column for the trade union magazine 'The Schoolmistress', stating; 'Members of Parliament and ex-Members, artists, journalists and art critics, stood among exquisite Indian women in bright saris, and the dignified figures of some of the chief Hindu representatives at the Conference. Mrs Naidu, the statesman-poet, was there... and Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas, one of the Mahatma's colleagues." Gandhi himself did not attend the party, but it was noted that he was vitally present in the works on display, which included the portrait of him in oil. Describing the painting in more detail, Holtby stated at the time: "The little man squats bare-headed, in his blanket, one finger raised, as it often is to emphasise a point, his lips parted for a word that is almost a smile. That is very much as I saw him when he came as guest to a big luncheon in Westminster at which I was present a little while ago. 'He was the political leader there, the subtle negotiator, the manipulator of Congress, the brilliant lawyer, the statesman who knows just how to play on the psychology of friends and enemies alike." The following month, Gandhi's personal secretary Mohadev Desai wrote a letter to Leighton, a copy of which is attached to the backing board of the portrait. It reads: "It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait. I am sorry I didn't see the final result, but many of my friends who saw it in the Albany Gallery said to me that it was a good likeness. I am quite sure Mr Gandhi has no objection to its being reproduced." There does not appear to be any record of Leighton's oil portrait of Gandhi being exhibited again until 1978, when the Boston Public Library staged an exhibition of Leighton's work. However, according to the artist's family, the portrait was thought to have been on public display in 1974 when it was attacked with a knife by a person. A label attached to the backing board confirms that the painting was restored in 1974 by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory.
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Only time he sat still for a painting: How Mahatma Gandhi's only oil portrait fetched Rs 1.6 crore
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, believed to be the only one he ever sat for, has fetched 1.63 crore (approx £1,52,800 or $204,648) at a Bonhams auction in London, more than double its pre-sale estimate. The painting, by renowned British artist Clare Leighton, was created in 1931, during Gandhi's visit to London for the Second Round Table Conference, which sought to discuss India's constitutional future under British rule. Bonhams had originally valued the artwork between 53 lakh and 74 lakh (between £50,000 and £70,000), but it ended up as the top lot in the auction house's Travel and Exploration sale. 'Thought to be the only oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi, which he sat for, this was a very special work,' said Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams' Head of Sale. 'It is no wonder that this work sparked such interest across the globe.' Clare Leighton, best known for her wood engravings, was reportedly one of the few artists granted permission to paint Gandhi from life. Bonhams says she was introduced to Gandhi through her then-partner Henry Noel Brailsford, a left-wing journalist and vocal supporter of Indian independence. Leighton spent several mornings sketching Gandhi at his London quarters, capturing him in his iconic seated pose — wrapped in his shawl, bare-headed, one finger raised mid-conversation. The resulting portrait was exhibited in November 1931 at the Albany Galleries in London. While Gandhi did not attend, the show drew dignitaries, Members of Parliament, and key figures from the Indian delegation, including Sarojini Naidu and Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas. Writer Winifred Holtby, who attended the exhibition, described the portrait in vivid terms: 'The little man squats bare-headed, in his blanket, one finger raised… his lips parted for a word that is almost a smile. That is very much as I saw him when he came as guest to a big luncheon in Westminster.' In a letter written shortly after the exhibit, Gandhi's secretary Mahadev Desai wrote to Leighton: 'It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait… many of my friends who saw it in the Albany Gallery said it was a good likeness.' The painting remained with Leighton until her death in the US in 1989, after which it was passed down through her family. According to them, the portrait was attacked with a knife in 1974 while on public display and was later restored by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory. The portrait was not publicly exhibited again until a Boston Public Library showcase of Leighton's work in 1978. Bonhams has not disclosed the identity of the buyer or whether the painting will be made accessible to the public in the future. (With inputs from PTI)
