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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rare Mahatma Gandhi oil portrait sold for ₹1.75 crore at UK auction: 'Testament to Gandhi's power'
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, believed to be the only one he sat for the artist to paint, has fetched triple its estimate at 152,800 pounds or ₹1.75 crore in a Bonhams auction in London. The portrait artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi when he visited London in 1931(Bonhams) The painting, which had never before been offered at auction, had been on offer for an online auction with a guide price range between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds and was the top lot of the Travel and Exploration sale, which concluded on Tuesday. The portrait artist, Clare Leighton, was introduced to Gandhi when he visited London in 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference. "Thought to be the only oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi, which he sat for, this was a very special work, which had never before been offered at auction,' said Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams Head of Sale. "Completed in London by the artist Clare Leighton, mainly known for her wood engravings, this work 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,' she said. The portrait 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,' added Demery. At the time of painting it, Leighton was in a relationship with the political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford. A passionate supporter of Indian independence, Brailsford had travelled to the country in 1930, later publishing the book 'Rebel India' in support of the Indian independence cause, the year he first met Gandhi at the Round Table Conference. Bonhams said that it was through this connection that Leighton was introduced to Gandhi. She was one of the very few artists admitted to his office and was allowed to sit with him on multiple occasions to sketch and paint his likeness, the auction house revealed. In November of 1931, Leighton showcased her portrait of Gandhi in an exhibition at the Albany Galleries in London. Journalist Winifred Holtby attended the opening and wrote about the event in her column for the trade union magazine 'The Schoolmistress', stating; 'Members of Parliament and ex-Members, artists, journalists and art critics, stood among exquisite Indian women in bright saris, and the dignified figures of some of the chief Hindu representatives at the Conference. Mrs Naidu, the statesman-poet, was there... and Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas, one of the Mahatma's colleagues." Gandhi himself did not attend the party, but it was noted that he was vitally present in the works on display, which included the portrait of him in oil. Describing the painting in more detail, Holtby stated at the time: "The little man squats bare-headed, in his blanket, one finger raised, as it often is to emphasise a point, his lips parted for a word that is almost a smile. That is very much as I saw him when he came as guest to a big luncheon in Westminster at which I was present a little while ago. 'He was the political leader there, the subtle negotiator, the manipulator of Congress, the brilliant lawyer, the statesman who knows just how to play on the psychology of friends and enemies alike." The following month, Gandhi's personal secretary Mohadev Desai wrote a letter to Leighton, a copy of which is attached to the backing board of the portrait. It reads: "It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait. I am sorry I didn't see the final result, but many of my friends who saw it in the Albany Gallery said to me that it was a good likeness. I am quite sure Mr Gandhi has no objection to its being reproduced." There does not appear to be any record of Leighton's oil portrait of Gandhi being exhibited again until 1978, when the Boston Public Library staged an exhibition of Leighton's work. However, according to the artist's family, the portrait was thought to have been on public display in 1974 when it was attacked with a knife by a person. A label attached to the backing board confirms that the painting was restored in 1974 by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Only time he sat still for a painting: How Mahatma Gandhi's only oil portrait fetched Rs 1.6 crore
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, believed to be the only one he ever sat for, has fetched 1.63 crore (approx £1,52,800 or $204,648) at a Bonhams auction in London, more than double its pre-sale estimate. The painting, by renowned British artist Clare Leighton, was created in 1931, during Gandhi's visit to London for the Second Round Table Conference, which sought to discuss India's constitutional future under British rule. Bonhams had originally valued the artwork between 53 lakh and 74 lakh (between £50,000 and £70,000), but it ended up as the top lot in the auction house's Travel and Exploration sale. 'Thought to be the only oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi, which he sat for, this was a very special work,' said Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams' Head of Sale. 'It is no wonder that this work sparked such interest across the globe.' Clare Leighton, best known for her wood engravings, was reportedly one of the few artists granted permission to paint Gandhi from life. Bonhams says she was introduced to Gandhi through her then-partner Henry Noel Brailsford, a left-wing journalist and vocal supporter of Indian independence. Leighton spent several mornings sketching Gandhi at his London quarters, capturing him in his iconic seated pose — wrapped in his shawl, bare-headed, one finger raised mid-conversation. The resulting portrait was exhibited in November 1931 at the Albany Galleries in London. While Gandhi did not attend, the show drew dignitaries, Members of Parliament, and key figures from the Indian delegation, including Sarojini Naidu and Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas. Writer Winifred Holtby, who attended the exhibition, described the portrait in vivid terms: 'The little man squats bare-headed, in his blanket, one finger raised… his lips parted for a word that is almost a smile. That is very much as I saw him when he came as guest to a big luncheon in Westminster.' In a letter written shortly after the exhibit, Gandhi's secretary Mahadev Desai wrote to Leighton: 'It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait… many of my friends who saw it in the Albany Gallery said it was a good likeness.' The painting remained with Leighton until her death in the US in 1989, after which it was passed down through her family. According to them, the portrait was attacked with a knife in 1974 while on public display and was later restored by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory. The portrait was not publicly exhibited again until a Boston Public Library showcase of Leighton's work in 1978. Bonhams has not disclosed the identity of the buyer or whether the painting will be made accessible to the public in the future. (With inputs from PTI)
India Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Rare sitting Gandhi portrait sold in London for Rs 1.75 cr, double the estimate
A rare portrait of Mahatma Gandhi – for which he agreed to pose while seated – has sold for GBP 152,800 (approximately Rs 1.75 crore) at an auction in London, more than double its initial estimate of GBP 50,000 to GBP 70,000 (approximately Rs 57 lakh to Rs 80 lakh). The portrait was painted in 1931 by British artist Clare to the auction house, Bonhams, the painting is "thought to be the only oil portrait that Gandhi actually sat for"."The painting, thought to be the only oil portrait that Gandhi actually sat for, had never before been offered at auction. It had an estimate of GBP 50,000 - 70,000 and was the top lot of the Travel and Exploration sale, which ran from July 7-15 online," the auction house said in a statement. The rare oil painting was in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, after which it was inherited by her portrait was created during Gandhi's 1931 visit to London for the second Round Table Conference, a series of conferences organised by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in journalist Henry Noel Brailsford introduced Leighton to Mahatma Gandhi when he visited London in 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference. Brailsford supported India's Independence movement.A BRITISH JOURNALIST's ADULATION FOR GANDHIIn November 1931, Clare Leighton showcased her portrait of Gandhi in an exhibition at the Albany Galleries in London. Journalist Winifred Holtby attended the opening and wrote about the event in her column for the trade union magazine The Schoolmistress, Bonhams said in the described Gandhi as a subtle negotiator and brilliant statesman, capturing his iconic gesture and presence at a Westminster luncheon."The little man squats bare-headed, in his blanket, one finger raised, as it often is to emphasise a point, his lips parted for a word that is almost a smile. That is very much like I saw him when he came as a guest to a big luncheon in Westminster at which I was present a little while ago," Holtby wrote to describe the painting, according to the Bonhams was the political leader there, the subtle negotiator, the manipulator of Congress, the brilliant lawyer, the statesman who knows just how to play on the psychology of friends and enemies alike," Holtby SECRETARY PENNED LETTER EXPRESSING HIS APPRECIATIONSubsequently, Gandhi's personal secretary, Mahadev Desai, sent a letter to Leighton – now affixed to the portrait's backing board – expressing gratitude: "It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi's portrait."advertisementAccording to the artist's family, the portrait was thought to have been on public display in 1974 when it was attacked with a knife by an RSS activist. A label attached to the backing board confirms that the painting was restored in 1974 by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory, the statement 2017, a rare pencil portrait of Gandhi was auctioned for GBP 32,500 (approximately Rs 37 lakh), about four times its estimated price, according to a report by news agency PTI.- EndsMust Watch
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US government policy change sparks outcry over potential public health risks: 'Profits ahead of the well-being of Americans'
The Trump administration has exempted dozens of power providers from regulations under the Clean Air Act for two years, AP News reported. The goal: to reignite the coal industry, which has been declining in favor of renewable energy sources. On April 8, President Donald Trump granted a two-year exemption to 47 power providers across the United States. According to a White House press release, "President Trump recognizes that environmental advocate overreach jeopardizes America's energy reliability, economic vitality, and national security." By providing relief from Biden-era clean air rules, the exemption hopes to bolster the country's coal industry and power grid while reducing its reliance on energy from other countries. The coal industry has long been a primary source of energy for the world and the U.S. According to the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, it creates about 25% of U.S. energy and around 36% of global energy. However, it's also responsible for a tremendous amount of pollution. Burning coal releases several polluting gases, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. It also causes particulate matter — small particles that can lead to several health problems, such as asthma and heart attacks — to enter the air. The Trump administration's grant for temporary relief allows named coal-fired power plants to operate with looser requirements than they once had to. The new order loosens rules that made it harder to mine on federal lands and reduces environmental review requirements. It also pushes federal agencies to promote coal use locally and abroad. The outcome could mean higher pollution risks. "This is what it looks like to put polluter profits ahead of the well-being of Americans and the planet," Maya Golden-Krasner, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, told AP News. There are plenty of organizations, states, and countries still working toward making the air cleaner. Cities such as Paris, London, and Seattle have created clean air zones to encourage eco-friendly modes of transportation and reduce vehicle pollution. In Wisconsin, lawmakers are pushing for legislation to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030. And Poland's government recently made it easier for the country to expand its onshore wind farms for cleaner energy. Progress is still possible when communities and leaders prioritize clean air. To get involved, support local clean air initiatives and vote for pro-climate candidates. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
