Historic painting by Clare Leighton, once slashed by extremist, fetches three times its estimate at Bonhams….reports Asian Lite News
A rare oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi — believed to be the only one he personally sat for — has sold for a staggering £152,800 (approximately Rs 1.7 crore) at Bonhams’ Travel and Exploration auction in London, setting off ripples across the global art world.
Created in 1931 by British-American artist Clare Leighton, the portrait captures Gandhi during his time in London for the Second Round Table Conference. The sale price was more than triple its pre-auction estimate of £50,000 to £70,000 (Rs 58 to 81 lakh), underscoring the enduring global reverence for the Indian independence icon and the unique history of the painting.
Rhyanon Demery, Head of Sale at Bonhams, described the portrait as “a lasting document of an important moment in history” and emphasised its rarity. “This is the only oil portrait that Gandhi is known to have sat for,” she noted. “It has never been offered at auction before, and its provenance adds to the powerful connection it evokes with Gandhi’s legacy.”
The portrait had remained with Leighton until her death in 1989, after which it was passed down through her family. It had been exhibited publicly only a handful of times, and its re-emergence on the market stirred significant interest from collectors and historians alike.
Created in 1931 by British-American artist Clare Leighton, the portrait captures Gandhi during his time in London for the Second Round Table Conference. Rhyanon Demery, Head of Sale at Bonhams, described the portrait as “a lasting document of an important moment in history” and emphasised its rarity.
But the painting carries a darker chapter too. In 1974, during a public exhibition, it was attacked by a knife-wielding extremist — allegedly a Hindu right-winger angered by Gandhi’s legacy. The damage was later repaired, but signs of the assault remain visible on the canvas, adding a visceral layer to its complex history.
According to Bonhams, Leighton was introduced to Gandhi in London by political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford. She was granted rare access to the Indian leader and spent several mornings sketching and painting him in his office. A letter written by Gandhi’s personal secretary, Mahadev Desai, and still affixed to the back of the painting, praises the likeness and thanks the artist: “It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi’s portrait.”
The portrait was first displayed in November 1931 at the Albany Galleries on Sackville Street in London. Among those who attended the opening was writer and social reformer Winifred Holtby, who documented the event in her column for The Schoolmistress, a trade union publication. She described Gandhi’s image as “a moment of calm intensity” captured with great skill and humanity.
Clare Leighton, better known for her wood engravings and social realism, considered the portrait one of her most significant works. The Gandhi painting now stands not only as an artistic masterpiece but also as a witness to political history, personal vulnerability, and the complex legacy of a man who changed the world through peace.
Bonhams said the record-breaking sale illustrates how Gandhi’s legacy continues to inspire reverence beyond borders. “This artwork is not just a painting,” said Demery. “It’s a piece of living history.”
