Raja Ravi Varma’s Painting Sets Indian Art Record With Rs 167.2 Crore Sale In Auction

Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma’s oil painting of ‘Yashodha and Krishna’ has set the new world record for the highest price for an Indian painting sold at the auction. The art was sold for Rs 167.20 crore inclusive of the buyer’s premium.

The bidding took place at the Saffronart auction house on April 1. Taking to their Instagram handle, they shared a snap of the Indian artwork.

“RAJA RAVI VARMA’S Yashoda and Krishna, circa 1890s, sold for Rs 167.20 crores ($17.97 million), surpassing its higher estimate, setting a record for the highest value achieved by the artist in an auction worldwide. It is also the highest value work by an Indian artist sold at auction globally,” wrote Saffronart. The painting has beaten the previous record set by MF Husain’s Untitled (Benares) which fetched Rs 15.60 crore last year.

“Saffronart’s Spring Live Auction concluded as a remarkable white glove success, with 100% of the lots sold. At the heart of the evening was Raja Ravi Varma’s phenomenal ‘Yashoda and Krishna’ which achieved an extraordinary Rs 167.20 crores ($17.97 million), setting a new benchmark as the highest value ever achieved for Indian art at auction globally,” captioned the auction house.

According to the website of Saffronart, Ravi Varma was at the height of his career when he painted the famous ‘Yashodha and Krishna’ in 1890. Yashoda and Krishna ranks as one of the artist’s most accomplished works.

“In this painting, he interprets the universally resonant theme of maternal love through the mythological figures of the infant Lord Krishna and his foster mother Yashoda, a subject strongly embedded in Indian culture and devotional sentiment,” read the description of the painting on the website. (ANI)