A remarkable oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi has sold for £152,800 at a Bonhams auction, significantly exceeding expectations and highlighting the enduring appeal of works connected to the Indian independence leader.
The portrait, created by British artist Clare Leighton in 1931, commanded more than three times its estimated value of £50,000-£70,000 when it went under the hammer on July 15. The sale made it the standout piece in Bonhams’ online Travel and Exploration auction, which ran for over a week.
What makes this painting particularly significant is that it may be the only oil portrait for which Gandhi personally posed. Leighton captured the independence leader seated cross-legged in traditional white robes, his head uncovered and one finger raised in a gesture suggesting he was speaking.
The artwork came about during Gandhi’s 1931 visit to London for the second Round Table Conference. Leighton, then living with political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford—a supporter of Indian independence—was able to arrange multiple sketching sessions with Gandhi through Brailsford’s connections. The completed portrait was exhibited at London’s Albany Galleries the same year.
Following its completion, Gandhi’s secretary wrote to Leighton expressing satisfaction with the work, noting that visitors to the gallery had praised it as “a good likeness” and confirming Gandhi had no objection to its reproduction.
The painting remained in Leighton’s personal collection throughout her lifetime, only passing to her family after her death in 1989. Its exhibition history includes a 1978 solo show of Leighton’s work at the Boston Public Library, though the piece faced controversy in 1974 when it was damaged by a supporter of the right-wing Indian political organization R.S.S.
Leighton, born in 1898, trained at several prestigious British art institutions including Brighton College of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art. While she’s best remembered for her wood engravings, this Gandhi portrait represents a significant departure from her usual medium.
Rhyanon Demery, Bonhams’s head of sale, described the work as “a testament to Gandhi’s power to connect with people far and wide” and praised it as “a lasting document of an important moment in history.”
The strong auction result reflects both the rarity of authentic Gandhi portraits and the continued global fascination with one of the 20th century’s most influential figures.
Cover Image: Clare Leighton, Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, 1931. Courtesy of Bonhams.
Contributor
