TOI correspondent from London: An oil portrait believed to be the only painting Mahatma Gandhi ever sat for is going under the hammer at Bonhams in July with an estimate of £50,000-£70,000 (Rs 58 lakh to Rs 81 lakh.)It is the first time this portrait has ever been sold at auction as it remained in British artist Clare Leighton’s collection until her death in 1989, after which it was passed down through her family.Leighton, reputed for her wooden engravings, was introduced to Gandhi when he visited London in 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference.At the time, she was in a relationship with political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, who was a passionate supporter of Indian Independence. He had travelled to India in 1930 where he met key Independence figures. Afterwards he published the book “Rebel India”, met Gandhi in London in 1931 and introduced Leighton to him. She became one of very few artists admitted to his office and was given the opportunity to sit with him to sketch and paint him in 1931.In Nov 1931 Leighton showcased her portraits at the Albany Galleries in London.The following month, Gandhi’s personal secretary, Mahadev Desai, wrote a letter to Leighton, a copy of which is attached to the backing board, which reads: “It was such a pleasure to have had you here for many mornings doing Mr Gandhi’s portrait.”According to the artist’s family, the portrait was on public display in 1974 when it was allegedly attacked with a knife by a Hindu right-wing activist. The catalogue entry states: “We have found no documentation to corroborate this, but the painting shows signs of restoration to what appears to be repaired tears in several places. A label attached to the backing board confirms the painting was restored in 1974 by the Lyman Allyn Museum Conservation Laboratory.”“There is nothing comparable to this painting in existence as it was painted in his lifetime and was a painting that he sat for on multiple occasions,” Rhyanon Demery, head of sale, told TOI.The auction takes place from 7 to 15 July.
