Rare Oil Painting Of Mahatma Gandhi Sells For Rs 1.7 Crore In London

A rare oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi, considered to be the only one he personally sat for, has sold for an astounding 152,800 pounds, approximately Rs 1.7 crore, at an auction hosted by Bonhams in London.

British artist Clare Leighton's "Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi" sold for three times its estimated value of 50,000-70,000 pounds, approximately Rs 58 lakh to Rs 81 lakh. The portrait was the best-selling item in the Travel and Exploration online sale.

Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams Head of Sale, said the special artwork had never before been offered at auction, adding it 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.

"With the portrait having 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," Ms Demery said in a statement.

In 1974, when it was on public exhibition, the portrait was attacked with a knife. According to the artist's family, a Hindu right-wing extremist allegedly used a knife to damage the artwork. The image shows signs of repair in several places.

Glimpse of History

The portrait is the only oil painting in which Gandhi was directly involved. Clare Leighton, a British-American artist, created it in 1931 while Gandhi was attending the Second Round Table Conference in London.

Ms Leighton was introduced to Gandhi by political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, and she spent several mornings painting him in his office.

In a statement, Bonhams said, "She was given the opportunity to sit with him on several occasions to sketch and paint his likeness."

Ms Leighton's portraits of Gandhi were on display at the Albany Galleries on Sackville Street in London in November 1931. The artist's friend and journalist Winifred Holtby attended the opening and chronicled it in her weekly piece for the trade union publication 'The Schoolmistress.'

The oil painting was then inherited by her family and remained in the artist's possession until she died in 1989. The canvas was displayed at the Albany Galleries on Sackville Street in London in November 1931, according to the description.

The back contains a letter from Mahadev Desai, Gandhi's personal secretary, praising the likeness and reiterating Gandhi's gratitude: "It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait."