An uncommon oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement, created in 1931 while he was in the UK, is set to be auctioned in London next month.
Gandhi spearheaded a peaceful resistance against British dominion in India, and his philosophies have motivated countless individuals. To many Indians, he is affectionately regarded as the “father of the nation.”
Throughout the years, a variety of paintings, illustrations, and sketches featuring Gandhi have been distributed globally.
The auction house Bonhams has noted that the artwork, crafted by British artist Clare Leighton, is believed to be the sole oil portrait for which Gandhi actually posed.
This portrait was painted during Gandhi’s visit to London for the second Round Table conference in 1931, which aimed to discuss constitutional changes for India and respond to its aspirations for self-rule.
The auction will take place in the second week of July at Bonhams.
“This painting carries tremendous historical and cultural importance. It would be wonderful if it could be viewed and appreciated by a broader audience, both in India and beyond,” shared Caspar Leighton, a great-nephew of the artist, with the BBC.
Bonhams also highlighted that Clare Leighton “was one of the select few artists granted access to Gandhi’s office and had the privilege of spending time with him to sketch and replicate his likeness”.
The artworks remained part of the artist’s estate until her passing in 1989 in the United States, after which they were inherited by her family.
Leighton was introduced to Gandhi through her partner, Henry Noel Brailsford, a British political journalist and staunch advocate for India’s independence.
In November 1931, Leighton presented her portraits of Gandhi at an exhibit at the Albany Galleries in London.
Although Gandhi did not attend the exhibition’s opening, several members of the Indian delegation from the second Round Table were in attendance, including Sarojini Naidu, a distinguished leader in the independence movement and a key advisor to Gandhi during the discussions.
The exhibition featured a charcoal sketch of Gandhi napping at his desk, in addition to the oil portrait that is now up for auction.
British journalist Winifred Holtby described the painting of Gandhi saying: “The diminutive figure sits bare-headed, wrapped in his blanket, one finger raised as it often is to emphasize a point, with his mouth slightly open as if on the verge of a smile.”
In the following month, Gandhi’s personal secretary Mahadev Desai reached out to Leighton, remarking, “many of my friends who viewed the oil portrait at Albany Gallery told me it was a striking likeness.”
