An oil portrait believed to be the only painting for which Mahatma Gandhi ever sat is set to go under the hammer at Bonhams this July, with an estimated value between £50,000 and £70,000 (approximately ₹58 lakh to ₹81 lakh).
This will be the first time the historic artwork appears at auction. It remained in the collection of British artist Clare Leighton—best known for her wood engravings—until her death in 1989, after which it was passed down through her family.
The portrait was created in 1931 in the UK during Gandhi’s visit for the Second Round Table Conference. Leighton was among the few artists granted access to Gandhi’s office and given the rare opportunity to paint him from life.
Although there are no official records of the painting being publicly exhibited, Leighton’s family recalls it being displayed once in the 1970s, during which it was damaged with a knife. The painting has since been fully restored.
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