Kiran Nadar, one of India's most prominent art collectors, has revealed that she was the buyer behind M.F. Husain's monumental 1954 painting "Untitled (Gram Yatra)," which sold for a record-breaking $13.8 million at Christie's New York. The acquisition marks the highest price ever achieved for a work of Indian modern art at auction, significantly surpassing its pre-sale estimate of $2.5 million to $3.5 million.
The historic sale took place during a South Asian modern and contemporary art auction held as part of Asia Art Week in New York. The nearly 14-foot-long painting comprises 13 vignettes depicting everyday life in India and was created just five years after Indian independence in 1947. The work represents what many consider to be Husain's most significant artistic statement of the 1950s decade.
The painting has a fascinating provenance story that spans several decades and continents. It was originally owned by Norwegian surgeon Leon Elias Volodarsky, who acquired the work in New Delhi in 1954, the same year it was created. Following Volodarsky's death, his estate donated the painting to Oslo University Hospital in 1964, where it remained for nearly six decades. The hospital's decision to consign the work to Christie's required a lengthy 13-year deaccessioning process and formal approval from the hospital's board of directors.
Kiran Nadar and her husband Shiva have established themselves as major forces in the international art collecting world, earning a place on ARTnews's prestigious Top 200 Collectors list every year since 2019. The couple has built an impressive collection of more than 15,000 works, many of which are displayed at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in Delhi. This latest acquisition represents a significant addition to their already substantial holdings of Indian modern and contemporary art.
This is not the first time the Nadars have made headlines with record-breaking purchases of Indian modern art. Their collecting history includes other major acquisitions such as S.H. Raza's "Saurashtra" from 1983, which they purchased for $2.39 million (approximately $3.51 million at the time of sale) in 2010. They also acquired F.N. Souza's "Birth" from 1955 for $4.09 million in 2015, demonstrating their consistent commitment to preserving and collecting masterworks of Indian modern art.
Speaking about the acquisition, Nadar emphasized the cultural and historical significance of the work. "M.F. Husain's magnum opus 'Untitled (Gram Yatra),' 1954, is a landmark acquisition for the museum's collection," she told ARTnews. She described the epic panorama as representing "not only the largest work from Husain's 1950s oeuvre but arguably his most significant artistic statement of the decade, exemplifying the role of art as an instrument of nation-building."
Nadar further explained the painting's broader cultural importance, noting that "the work reflects India's deep historical roots, its evolving future, and Husain's dialogue with international modernism as the visual chronicler of post-independence India, making this acquisition profoundly significant." The painting serves as both a historical document and an artistic masterpiece, capturing the spirit and daily life of India during a crucial period in the nation's development.
The acquisition comes at a time when interest in M.F. Husain's work is experiencing renewed international attention. In November, a major new institution dedicated to the artist's work, called "Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum," is scheduled to open in Doha, Qatar. The 32,300-square-foot museum is being spearheaded by the Qatar Foundation and is notably based on a drawing created by Husain himself, who held Emirati citizenship.
While the KNMA in Delhi will house this record-breaking acquisition, art enthusiasts will soon have another major venue to experience Husain's artistic legacy. The upcoming museum in Qatar represents a significant investment in preserving and showcasing the work of one of India's most celebrated modern artists, ensuring that his contributions to both Indian and international art history continue to be recognized and studied by future generations.
