Bonhams Travel and Exploration Sale Led by Rare Gandhi Oil Portrait, Estimate £50,000-70,000
A portrait of Mahatma Gandhi by Clare Leighton, thought to be the only oil portrait for which he sat, leads Bonhams Travel and Exploration sale, running 7-15 July online. The work, never before offered at auction, carries an estimate of £50,000-70,000. Leighton was introduced to Gandhi during his 1931 visit to London for the Second Round Table Conference, through her relationship with journalist Henry Noel Brailsford. The painting remained in the artist's family until now.
The Signal
The portrait's provenance is notable: it was exhibited at Albany Galleries in 1931, later restored after a 1974 attack by an RSS activist, and has remained in the artist's family. For collectors of historical portraiture or Indian independence memorabilia, this work offers a direct link to Gandhi's London visit, with documentation including a letter from his secretary. Bonhams' sale highlights the enduring market for artifacts tied to major political figures.
- Artists: Clare Leighton
- People: Mahatma Gandhi, Henry Noel Brailsford, Rhyanon Demery, Winifred Holtby, Mohadev Desai
- Auction Houses: Bonhams
- Locations: London
- Prices: £50,000 - 70,000
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