Gandhi's only known oil portrait, painted during 1931 London visit, sells for over ₹1.75 crore at Bonhams auction

Mint

5 days ago

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.