Now Reading: An Oil Painting of Gandhi Sells for $204,000
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An Oil Painting of Gandhi Sells for $204,000
The Man Who Sat Still:
There is a quiet power in a stilled moment, especially when that moment captures a man who moved an entire nation toward freedom. Recently, the art world and historians alike turned their eyes toward London, where a truly unique piece of history—a rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi—crossed the auction block at Bonhams.
While images of the “father of the nation” are woven into the fabric of global history, this particular painting is different. It isn’t just a sketch or a photograph; it is believed to be the only oil portrait for which Gandhi ever sat.
A Meeting in 1931 London
The story of this painting begins in the autumn of 1931. Gandhi was in London to attend the Second Round Table Conference, a pivotal series of talks regarding India’s constitutional future and its hunger for self-governance. Amidst the high-stakes diplomacy, a British artist named Clare Leighton found her way into his inner circle.
Leighton, primarily known for her mastery of wood engravings, was granted a rare privilege. Through a connection with political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, she was admitted to Gandhi’s office over several mornings to capture his likeness.
The resulting portrait is remarkably intimate. It depicts Gandhi seated cross-legged, wrapped in his iconic white robe, his head bare. In a touch of narrative flair, Leighton painted him with one finger raised, as if he were captured mid-sentence, perhaps in the middle of an impassioned argument for peace.
A Provenance of Care and Conflict
For decades, this painting remained a private treasure. Leighton kept the work in her own collection until she passed away in 1989, after which it stayed within her family.
However, the portrait’s journey wasn’t without its scars. In 1974, while the work was on display, it was reportedly attacked with a knife by an activist. Thankfully, the piece was painstakingly restored, and a label on its backing board today serves as a silent testament to that turbulent chapter.
Also tucked away on the back of the frame is a heartwarming note from Gandhi’s personal secretary, Mahadev Desai. Writing a month after the sittings, Desai noted that while he hadn’t seen the finished product yet, friends had praised it as a “good likeness” and confirmed that Gandhi had no objection to the work being shared with the world.
A Record-Breaking Sale
When the painting went up for auction this July, the interest was electric. Originally estimated to fetch between £50,000 and £70,000, the final gavel fell at a staggering £152,800 (approximately $204,648)—more than triple its low estimate.
Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams’ head of sale, described the work as a “lasting document of an important moment in history”. It is more than just oil on canvas; it is a bridge to a time when a man in a simple white robe sat in a London office and changed the course of the world.
Though the buyer remains anonymous and it is yet to be seen if the portrait will return to public view, the sale reminds us that the legacy of Gandhi—his non-violent resistance and his message of self-rule—continues to resonate as powerfully today as it did nearly a century ago.
Krishna Paksha Thapa (KANXEY) is an art lover, illustrator, and storyteller from Nepal (Now in Israel). An independent creator who loves to write and paint, he brings stories to life through sketches, words, and visual expression.
