A landmark moment for the South Asian art market was made when M.F. Husains monumental 1954 painting Untitled (Gram Yatra) sold for $13.7m (with fees) in New York. This set a new record for Modern Indian art auction, as well as Indian painting.

Who is Maqbool Fida Husain?

Maqbool Fida Husain(1915-2011), often referred to as M.F. Husain, was a highly influential Indian painter and filmmaker. He was a key figure in 20th-century Indian modern art. He was a founding member of theBombay Progressive Artists’ Group, which aimed to establish a new Indian artistic expression. His paintings are known for their vibrant colors, bold lines, and incorporation of Indian mythology and cultural themes, often executed in a modified Cubist style.

Beyond painting, he also explored filmmaking. He received numerous prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. His work has left an enduring legacy on the Indian art scene, and he is considered one of India’s most celebrated and recognized artists. The most expensive Indian art work sold in auction earlier was Amrita Sher-Gils The Story Teller, which fetched 61.8 crore ($7.4 million) at a Saffronart auction in September 2023.

Husains record-breaking 14 feet long oil on canvas, Untitled (Gram Yatra), was completed in 1954. It comprises 13 vignettes of village life made after the tumultuous years of independence and partition. The painting presents the artists vision of nation-building through art, making it one of the most seminal works of modern Indian art. Husain inscribed the canvas on the reverse with 25.D.Badar Bagh/ Balaram Street/Bombay.

Husain was a member of the Progressive Artists Group. Alongside artists such as Sayed Haider Raza and Francis Newton Souza, he is considered among the most significant modern Indian artists. Husain employed figures inspired by Indias historical visual culture.

Husain was targeted in the last years of his life after a work of his attracted the Hindu right wing. Several cases were filed against him for his depiction of the female form, which members of Bajrang Dal and other groups said hurt the sentiments of Hindus as they depicted goddesses. Husain went into self-exile in 2006 and lived between London and Doha. He died in 2011.