Tyeb Mehta's painting sold at Rs 17.5 cr: Top grossing artwork at Christie's India's auction

Renowned artist Tyeb Mehta’s untitled canvas depicting a falling bull got sold for a whopping Rs 17.5  crore at the second edition of Indian art auction held by the Christie’s. The Mehta canvas, dating back to 1999, for which the Christie’s was expecting a maximum price of Rs 12 crore, got picked up through an online bid from New York. The identity of the buyer was not revealed.

Here’s a look at the top selling artworks:

Tyeb Mehta’s Falling Bull

One of Mehta’s most iconic works, Falling Bull shows his recurring motif, an enraged bull against a rickshaw. After adding the buyer’s premium, the total price came up to Rs 17.54 crore. Mehta, who passed away in 2009, was a part of the celebrated Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group, which included greats like F N Souza, S H Raza and M F Husain.

Francis Newton Souza’s Untitled (Indian family)

The second highest bid was for this piece of art. It sold for Rs 7.5 crore. It was signed and dated ‘Newton 1947’.

This year’s auction also includes significant works and items by some of the country’s designated ’national treasure artists’, which are considered of such importance to the cultural development of the country that they cannot leave the country.

V S Gaitonde for his Untitled

Signed and dated 1998, this painting fetched Rs 5.5 crore.

The Switzerland-based Christie’s conducted its first India art auction on 19 December last year, when it sold a work by the late Vasudeo Gaitonde for a record Rs 28 crore, the highest price ever paid for an Indian painter’s work.

Ram Kumar’s untitled (Orphans)

This oil on canvas painting went at Rs 4 crore. The house is auctioning 78 lots, down from 83 last year, including paintings, sculptures and also diaries at the auction tonight.

Syed Haider Raza’s Les Toits de la rue St. Jacques

The oil on canvas painting was sold for Rs 3.8 crore.