A Beautiful Amrita Sher-Gil Painting Sets New Auction Record at $7.4 Million
Introduction
A beautiful oil on canvas by the legendary Amrita Sher-Gil, the Sikh-Hungarian painter who died at the age of 28 in 1941, sold for Rs 61.8 crore ($7.4 million) in a Saffronart sale on Saturday night, making it the most expensive work of Indian art sold at auction worldwide.
Breaking Records
- Syed Haider Raza’s painting titled ‘Gestation’ fetched Rs 51.7 crore, becoming the second most expensive Indian artwork
- Vasudeo S Gaitonde’s painting sold for Rs 32 crore, ranking at No 3
A Legacy in Art
Amrita Sher-Gil was the only successful woman artist in India for a long time. Her work often surpassed male-dominated artists and drew immense praise.
Journey of an Artist
Amrita Sher-Gil was born in 1913 in Budapest to a Sikh father and a Hungarian mother. She studied in Europe and India, becoming the first Asian to win a gold medal for painting at the elite Ecole des Beaux Arts.
The Record-Breaking Painting
The painting that set the world record is titled The Story Teller (1937), and merges Pahari and Parisian influences into a distinctive artistic language. It portrays a group of women relaxing outside their house, with each woman expressing different activities and emotions. Women dominate in Sher-Gil’s work, as she sought to capture their essence and communicate their condition.
A Lasting Legacy
Dinesh Vazirani, Saffronart CEO and co-founder, said the record price is a testament to Amrita Sher-Gil’s immense skill and enduring legacy. The painting represents a pivotal time in her career and adds a new benchmark to her work.
Conclusion
The auction not only set a new record for Amrita Sher-Gil, but also achieved record prices for other renowned artists such as A Ramachandran, K K Hebbar, and S Nandagopal, showcasing the continued appreciation for Indian art in the global market.
