Rare Gandhi Oil Portrait Fetches Triple Estimate at London Auction

London, Jul 16 (PTI) – An exceptionally rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, reputed to be the only one for which he posed, has garnered a sum of 152,800 pounds, triple its initial estimate, at a Bonhams auction in London.

Previously untendered at any auction, the painting was offered in an online auction with an estimated range of 50,000 to 70,000 pounds. It emerged as the top highlight of the Travel and Exploration sale, which concluded on Tuesday.

Clare Leighton, the artist behind the painting, was introduced to Gandhi during his visit to London in 1931 for the Second Round Table Conference.

"Believed to be the sole oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi for which he sat, this work was particularly special, making its debut auction appearance," explained Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams Head of Sale. "Crafted in London by Clare Leighton, renowned mostly for her wood engravings, this piece reflects Gandhi's profound ability to connect with people globally, serving as a lasting record of a significant historical moment," she added.

The portrait remained within Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989, subsequently passing through her family lineage. "It is unsurprising that this work ignited global interest," Demery noted.

During that period, Leighton was romantically involved with the political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford. A fervent supporter of Indian independence, Brailsford had traveled to India in 1930, penning the book ‘Rebel India’ advocating for Indian independence the year he first encountered Gandhi at the Round Table Conference.

Bonhams revealed that this connection facilitated Leighton's introduction to Gandhi. She was among the select few artists permitted into his office, allowed to spend several occasions capturing his likeness through sketches and painting. In November 1931, Leighton showcased her Gandhi portrait at an Albany Galleries exhibition in London.

Winifred Holtby, a journalist, attended the opening and documented the event in her trade union magazine column, ‘The Schoolmistress,’ mentioning; "Members of Parliament and ex-members, artists, journalists, and art critics stood amidst elegant Indian women in vibrant saris, and the distinguished figures of principal Hindu delegates at the Conference. Mrs Naidu, the statesman-poet, was present... and Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas, one of Mahatma's colleagues." Though Gandhi himself did not attend, his presence was profoundly felt through the displayed works, especially the oil portrait.

Holtby detailed the painting, emphasizing: "The little man squats bareheaded, in his blanket, finger raised to underscore a point, lips parted for a word bordering on a smile. That mirrored how I saw him during a Westminster luncheon he attended recently. He embodied the political leader, the adept negotiator, the Congress manipulator, the astute lawyer, the statesman expertly playing on both friends' and foes' psychologies."

Gandhi’s personal secretary, Mohadev Desai, penned a letter to Leighton in the following month, a copy of which is appended to the portrait's backing board. It expressed: "It was a pleasure having you here several mornings for Mr Gandhi’s portrait. I regret missing the final piece, but several friends viewed it at the Albany Gallery and commented on the likeness. I'm confident Mr Gandhi wouldn't object to its reproduction." The portrait went largely unexhibited until 1978, when Boston Public Library hosted a Leighton exhibition. However, per the artist's family, the portrait was thought to have been publicly displayed in 1974 when it sustained knife damage.

A backing board label verifies the painting's 1974 restoration at the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory.

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