Manjit Bawa Sets a New High at Sotheby’s!

Indian master artist Manjit Bawa’s painting ‘Untitled (Shiva)’ set a new record of highest price realized for the artist in the Sotheby’s auction at London achieving a price of GBP 1.86 Million (INR 18.81 Crores). A detailed report on this historic moment and 15 other Indian artists whose paintings had a stellar performance at this ‘Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Auction’.

In a historic moment for the art world, Indian master artist late Manjit Bawa’s painting ‘Untitled (Shiva)’ painted in 1995 depicting Lord Shiva in a contemporary manner set a new high record price of GBP 1.86 Million (INR 18.81 Crores) at Sotheby’s ‘Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Auction’ at London. This realized price is more than double of the higher end of the estimate range which was set at 700,000 to 900,000 GBP.

The entire auction summed up a total value of about GBP 8.18 Million (INR 82.53 Crores), which twice its pre-sale estimate, the company said, with a high majority of the lots surpassing their estimates, and 76 lots sold out of the 77 presented.

This is not the first time Manjit Bawa’s paintings have achieved such an incredible feat. The most recent one happened in March 2023, wherein his painting ‘Untitled (Durga)’painted in 2004 fetched a whopping USD 1.98 Million (INR 16.33 Crores) at Christie’s ‘South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art Auction’ at New York. This realized price was significantly higher than the estimate range of USD 1 to 1.5 Million.

Both these paintings are masterpieces of Bawa’s oeuvre, which represent the artist’s unique style, characterized by vivid colors, mystical themes, and a sense of spiritual transcendence. The artwork was offered at Sotheby’s highly anticipated Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art auction, drawing attention from art enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.

Manjit Bawa (1941-2008) is celebrated for his ability to blend the traditional with the contemporary, infusing his work with elements of Indian mythology and culture. This particular ‘Untitled’ painting depicts Shiva in a contemporary manner, portraying the deity in a novel and evocative light, with vibrant shades of red, orange and pale blue dominating the canvas. The use of bold colors and the dreamlike quality of the painting are characteristic of Bawa’s unique vision.

The record-setting sale value of GBP 1.86 million far exceeding the estimated value indicates the continued and growing appreciation for Manjit Bawa’s art in the global art market. It also reflects on the growing prominence of South Asian art on the international stage and the enduring legacy of artists like Bawa. The painting ‘Untitled (Shiva)’ has a provenance from Gallery Espace, New Delhi. Even though the identity of the buyer remains undisclosed, the artwork’s acquisition underscores the increasing demand for such iconic pieces in the art market, particularly those from the Indian subcontinent.

While Manjit Bawa’s ‘Untitled (Shiva)’ led the Sotheby’s auction chart in terms of estimate and sale values, he was followed by several trailblazer Indian artists. What is quite interesting to note that apart from the top performers in terms of sheer sale value, several other artists exceeded their respective estimate range by a substantial mark, though at a relatively modest price point as compared to the overall top valuations. The works of Zainul Abedin, F N Souza, Jagdish Swaminathan, K K Hebbar, Atul Dodiya, Gaganendranath Tagore, Sadanand Bakre, Laxman Shrestha and Zarina formed those formidable bright stars.

Have a look at this selective chart of those 16 lots out of the 76 sold lots, which made the most dramatic movements vis-a-vis the sale value and the deviation from the estimate range!

This sale not only sets a new record for Bawa’s work internationally, but also reaffirms the growing influence of Indian artists on the global art stage. The recent high value realization for the paintings of Amrita Sher-Gil (INR 61.80 Crores) at Saffronart’s ‘Evening Sale’ at New Delhi, and of S H Raza (‘Gestation’ at INR 51.75 Crores) and Vasudeo Gaitonde (‘Untitled’ at 48.30 Crores) in Pundole’s Mumbai auctions are the most promising high points in the performance of Indian artists in the current art market scenario so far. It will be interesting to see how the future unfolds.

Vineel Bhurke

Note: The images of paintings in this article are sourced from the official websites of Sotheby’s and Christie’s. The sale figures mentioned in the article are inclusive of Buyer’s Premium and Overhead Premium, and exclusive of applicable taxes and costs.