NEW YORK, NY.- The market for South Asian Modern + Contemporary art continued to show its strength today as Christie's sale totaled $22,574,720, which was more than three times the total low estimate. All of the lots sold. Among the highlights of the sale were two important early pictures by Francis Newton Souza Woman with Lamp (1949), which made $2,304,000, almost six times its low estimate, and Building in Trafalgar Square (1955), which made $ 1,120,000. Other top results from the auction included A Progression of Sales, a sweeping 1969 landscape by Jehangir Sabavala, which made $768,000 and Ganesh Pyne's The Slave, which made $1,152,000 more than four times its low estimate. Christie's set eight world records during the sale.
Record for a work on paper by Meera Mukherjee: Untitled (Woman with Bicycle) (price realized: $40,960)
Record for a work by Benodebehari Mukherjee: Untitled (Seated Figure) (price realized: $128,000)
Record for a work by Hari Ambadas Gade: Experience - I (price realized: $83,200)
Record for work on paper by Biren De: August-Sept 1991 (price realized: $57,600)
Record for a work on paper by Satish Gujral: Untitled (Standing Figure) (price realized: $61,440)
Record for a work by Ivan Peries: The Well (price realized: $640,000)
Record for a work of Sri Lankan art: Ivan Peries The Well (price realized: $640,000)
Record for a work by Richard Gabriel: Fisherman (price realized: $48,640)
The Head of Christie's South Asian Modern + Contemporary Department, Nishad Avari, said, This has been a strong year for our market and this department. Today's auction continues the momentum we have built over our previous sales and exhibitions around the world this spring and summer. It was an honor to bring such strong works to the market, many of which have not been seen in public before, and to find them wonderful new homes. The auction set four new artist records, three medium records, and most important, a new record for any work of modern Sri Lankan art offered to date. We look forward to sharing news about a few more exciting events we have planned for the rest of the year, ensuring 2026 ends on a high note.