LONDON.- Christie's Sublime Shadows: South Asian Art From a Distinguished Collection, sold at King Street on 11 June 2026, realised a total of £18,909,996, reflecting strong international demand for South Asian Modern + Contemporary art. The sale was 100% sold by lot and by value, and represents the highest-value sale of South Asian Modern + Contemporary art ever staged in London at Christie's. The saleroom remained animated throughout, with spirited bidding from collectors worldwide.

The sale, the first dedicated offering of its kind in London since 2019, comprised 93 works from a single private collection formed over the 1990s and early 2000s, with a focus on the artistic legacy of Bengal and the development of modern South Asian visual culture.

Damian Vesey, International Specialist, South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art at Christie's, remarks: “Sublime results. This sale builds on the success of our March auctions in New York for South Asian Modern + Contemporary art, while marking a significant return to London after seven years away. This exceptional single-owner auction is defined by the rarity of the works, their outstanding quality, and the discerning eye of the collector. Collections of this quality are generational and the excitement has been evident throughout, from the unveiling of highlights in Mumbai, to the catalogue and presale exhibition, and culminating in a strong and energetic atmosphere in the room today. The results underscore the depth of demand for works of this calibre and the continued strength and international appeal of the South Asian market.”





Top Lots:

• Ganesh Pyne, The Fisherman, 1979 – realised: £3,832,000

A world auction record for the artist, coinciding with his birthday, this outstanding result achieved nearly ten times the high estimate, attracting over seven minutes of spirited bidding. Part of a group of 1970s works drawing on Bengali folklore and memory, it exemplifies Pyne's distinctive tempera technique and narrative ambiguity.

• Ganesh Pyne, Under the Red Cloud (or The Amphibian), 1970 – realised: £2,368,000

Combining human and symbolic imagery within his dreamlike universe, this exceptional work achieved nearly eight times its high estimate, reflecting strong international demand for Pyne's psychologically charged visual language.

• Ganesh Pyne, Woman, the Serpent, 1975 – realised: £2,368,000

Another remarkable result for Ganesh Pyne, this tempera on canvas achieved nearly eight times the high estimate.

• Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, Untitled, 1971 – realised: £2,246,000

This rare canvas by the artist, which was painted during a pivotal period following his exposure to Abstract Expressionism in New York, exemplifies his mature visual language, defined by luminosity, restraint, and spatial depth.

• Abanindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, The Spinner of a Nation's Destiny, circa 1922 – realised £1,041,400

World auction record for the artist. One of Abanindranath Tagore's most important portraits, depicting Gandhi at a pivotal moment in India's independence movement, the work achieved over twenty times its high estimate.

• Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar, Untitled (Gulmohar Tree), 1962 – realised £698,500

Achieving nearly six times above its high estimate, this painting set the world auction record for Hebbar.

• A Blackstone Stele of Vishnu, 11th-12th century – realised £635,000

Realising over nine times its high estimate, this finely carved stele of Vishnu, the god of Preservation, exemplifies the masterful craftsmanship of artists working in Northeast India during the Pala period.

• G. Ramanujam, Untitled (Ganesh), 1973 – realised £419,100

Over thirteen times its high estimate, this rare canvas centres on a towering Ganesh-like figure within his distinctive “mythopoetic universe”, populated by intimate, autobiographical details including a subtle self-portrait.

• Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar, Untitled (Woman Making Chapatis), 1959 – realised £406,400

A lively depiction of a domestic rural scene, this work reflects Hebbar's engagement with everyday village life in post-Independence India, combining expressive figuration with rhythmic line and textured, modernist handling of paint.

• Meera Mukherjee, Untitled (Wheel Builders) – realised: £381,000

Highlighting sustained demand for Mukherjee's distinctive reinterpretation of traditional Dhokra casting techniques, the work's focus on labour and everyday life remains central to her sculptural practice and collector appeal.

This sale follows Christie's record-breaking South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art auction in New York on 25 March, which realised $27,097,450. Looking ahead, Christie's King Street will present The Meeting Ground: Scenes from the KNMA Collection (16 July–21 August 2026), the fourth annual non-selling summer exhibition showcasing exceptional works from the collection of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi.