Just weeks after M F Husain's 'Gram Yatra' sold for a record Rs 118 crore, Tyeb Mehta's 'Trussed Bull' fetched Rs 61.80 crore at Saffronart's 25th anniversary auction in Mumbai on Wednesday. This sale marks the highest price ever achieved for Mehta's work and the second-highest price for an Indian artist at auction, tying with Amrita Sher-Gil's 'The StoryTeller,' which sold for the same amount in 2023.

Painted in 1956, 'Trussed Bull' was part of Mehta's career-defining series and was originally estimated at Rs five to seven lakh, according to the auction house. Another of Mehta's works, an untitled acrylic on canvas, also surpassed expectations, selling for Rs nine crore, above its estimated Rs seven crore.

The auction set a world record for the highest-value sale of South Asian art, reaching a total of Rs 217.81 crore and concluding as a white glove sale, meaning 100% of the lots were sold.

Saffronart CEO and co-founder Dinesh Vazirani expressed excitement over the milestone, stating, “We are thrilled to kick off our 25th year with a record-breaking USD 25 million white glove auction. The exceptional result for Tyeb Mehta's powerful 1956 painting of a trussed bull highlights his lasting influence in modern Indian art, especially in his centenary year.”

He added that the auction reflects the growing strength and global presence of South Asian art, emphasizing Saffronart’s commitment to its continued growth. The event showcased 75 lots, with 80% exceeding their higher estimates. Among them was a rare still life by Amrita Sher-Gil, ‘Still Life with Green Bottles and Apples’ (1932), which sold for Rs 24 crore. The painting is notable as Sher-Gil created only a handful of still lifes in her career.

F N Souza’s Supper at Emmaus (1987), inspired by Caravaggio’s 17th-century masterpiece, sold for Rs 15.30 crore. The painting is part of a series Souza created in the 1980s, focusing on Biblical themes. Other major highlights included Edwin Lord Weeks’ Lake at Oodeypore, India (circa 1893), which fetched Rs 12 crore, and Sakti Burman’s Durga (circa 1995), which sold for Rs 7.20 crore.

An untitled piece by Ram Kumar was auctioned for Rs 6.12 crore, while F N Souza’s Landscape of Hampstead, London, went for Rs 5.7 crore. A rare Raja Ravi Varma portrait, Narayani, secured Rs 4.2 crore.

Saffronart president and co-founder Minal Vazirani expressed pride in the milestone auction, stating, “For 25 years, Saffronart has redefined the Indian art market with transparency, accessibility, and innovation. Our 25th Anniversary Sale set a new global record for South Asian art, achieving USD 25 million in sales.”

The auction also showcased works by modern and contemporary artists such as S H Raza, Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta, Atul Dodiya, and Anju Dodiya.

 

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