M.F. Husain’s Painting Sells for Rs 118 Crore, Breaks Record for Most Expensive Modern Indian Art
M.F. Husain’s Painting Sells for Rs 118 Crore, Breaks Record for Most Expensive Modern Indian Art
The world of Indian art experienced a significant milestone recently when MF Husain’s iconic painting “Untitled (Gram Yatra)” achieved a record-breaking price at auction. This 1954 masterpiece, depicting a rural journey, was sold for a staggering $13.8 million (over Rs 118 crore) at a Christie’s auction in New York on March 19. This sale not only sets a new benchmark for modern Indian art but also significantly surpasses the previous record held by Amrita Sher-Gil’s “The Story Teller.”
The auction results far exceeded expectations, as Christie’s had initially estimated the painting’s value between $2.5 million and $3.5 million. The final price, more than four times the initial estimate, highlights the growing international interest in Indian art and the enduring legacy of MF Husain. This achievement also surpasses Husain’s own previous record of $3.1 million set in 2023 for his painting “Untitled (Reincarnation).”
M.F. Husain’s painting was sold for Rs 118 crore, making it the most expensive Modern Indian artwork:
“Untitled (Gram Yatra)” is a significant piece from Husain’s 1950s output. It’s a massive painting, almost 14 feet long, made up of 13 panels each depicting a different scene from rural Indian life. The title, which translates to “village pilgrimage,” emphasizes the importance of rural life in shaping India’s future after independence. One of the panels features a standing farmer, the only male figure in the painting, which is believed to be a self-portrait of Husain. Interestingly, this is the only image that crosses into another vignette, a landscape with fields.
“We are excited to have helped establish a new benchmark for the work of Maqbool Fida Husain and the entire category. This marks a pivotal moment and furthers the remarkable growth of the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art market,” said Nishad Avari, head of Christie’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art, in a statement to the Press Trust of India (PTI).
The painting was initially owned by Dr. Leon Elias Volodarsky, a Norwegian surgeon who purchased it in New Delhi in 1954 while overseeing a World Health Organization (WHO) project. In 1964, his estate donated it to the Oslo University Hospital, where it remained for nearly seventy years, hidden from public view.
“It was stored in a private neuroscience corridor,” Avari explained to ARTnews.
It took a long 13 years to get the painting ready for auction. Since it was owned by Oslo University Hospital, the sale needed their board’s approval first. Once the hospital decided to sell, they had to get all the necessary permissions before the painting could be auctioned.
“What is especially fulfilling is that the funds will be used to create a training center for doctors in Dr. Volodarsky’s honor,” Avari said.
M.F. Husain, born on September 17, 1915, in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, started his artistic journey in Mumbai, where he initially worked as a billboard painter.
India’s independence ushered in a period of change and growth, and Husain’s art reflected this, aiming to create a modern identity for his nation. He was deeply inspired by India’s history, mythology, and culture, themes that often found their way into his paintings. Many of his works featured gods and goddesses, sometimes with political undertones. Unfortunately, some of his paintings sparked controversy, leading to legal complaints and even death threats. This forced him to leave India, finding refuge in Dubai and frequently traveling to New York and London. Husain passed away on June 9, 2011, at the age of 95.
