"this work was a testament to Gandhi's power to connect with people"
A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi has sold for £152,800 at Bonhams in London, shattering its original estimate of £50,000-£70,000.
Painted in 1931 by British artist Clare Leighton, the work is believed to be the only oil portrait Gandhi ever sat for.
It was created during his historic visit to London for the second Round Table Conference, held to debate India’s constitutional future and push for self-governance under British rule.
The portrait remained in Leighton’s private collection until her death in 1989. It was then passed down through her family.
The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed, and it’s unclear if the painting will go on public display.
Rhyanon Demery, head of sales at Bonhams, said: “Completed in London by the artist Clare Leighton, mainly known for her wood engravings, this work was a testament to Gandhi’s power to connect with people far and wide, and presented a lasting document of an important moment in history.”
Bonhams added that Leighton “was one of the very few artists admitted to his office and was given the opportunity to sit with on multiple occasions to sketch and paint his likeness”.
Leighton’s introduction to Gandhi came through her then-partner, political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford.
A staunch supporter of Indian independence, Brailsford had travelled to India in 1930 and later authored Rebel India.
He met Gandhi during the Round Table Conference and facilitated Leighton’s access to the Indian leader.
In November 1931, Leighton unveiled the portrait at the Albany Galleries in London.
The opening attracted a diverse and high-profile crowd.
Journalist Winifred Holtby said at the time: “Members of Parliament and ex-Members, artists, journalists and art critics, stood among exquisite Indian women in bright saris, and the dignified figures of some of the chief Hindu representatives at the Conference.
“Mrs Naidu, the statesman-poet, was there… and Sir Purshotamdas Thakurdas, one of the Mahatma’s colleagues.”
Although Gandhi did not attend the launch, Holtby noted his “vital” presence through the artworks.
Describing the portrait, she wrote: “The little man squats bare-headed, in his blanket, one finger raised, as it often is to emphasise a point, his lips parted for a word that is almost a smile.
“That is very much as I saw him when he came as guest to a big luncheon in Westminster at which I was present a little while ago.”
“He was the political leader there, the subtle negotiator, the manipulator of Congress, the brilliant lawyer, the statesman who knows just how to play on the psychology of friends and enemies alike.”
Today, Mahatma Gandhi remains one of the most revered figures in Indian history, celebrated for his philosophy of non-violence and resistance to colonial rule.
Demery said: “It is no wonder that this work sparked such interest across the globe.”
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