Mumbai: Raja Ravi Varma’s ‘Yashoda and Krishna’, painted in 1890, has become the most expensive Indian painting ever sold. It is ahead of MF Hussain’s ‘Untitled’ (Gram Yatra).
An oil painting of Yashoda and Krishna by Raja Ravi Varma, who rose to fame through his art, has been sold for Rs 167 crore. This makes it the most expensive painting ever sold at auction.
Billionaire Cyrus Poonawalla, founder of Serum Institute of India, bought the painting at the Saffron Art Auction held in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Last year, MF Hussain’s Untitled (Grama Yatra) was sold at auction for Rs.118 crore. It was bought by Delhi-based Kiran Nadar. This set a record. But now, a Ravi Varma artwork has set a new record by selling for Rs.167 crore.
This painting, which depicts moments of affection between a mother and son, was created by Raja Ravi Varma in 1890. The painting depicts a scene where Yashoda sits by a cow and asks for milk while Bala Krishna stands behind her holding a glass.
Raja Ravi Varma’s artworks are classified as national treasures. Therefore, this painting cannot be taken out of India. It is an honor and a responsibility to preserve such a historical artwork. Poonawalla said that my goal is to make this national treasure available for public viewing from time to time.
This is a defining moment for the Indian art market. At Rs.167.2 crore, Raja Ravi Varma’s Yashoda and Krishna – a universal theme reminiscent of Madonna and Christ or any mother and child. The Mona Lisa of Indian art – had achieved a new world record, said Delhi Art Gallery CEO and MD Aahish Anand.