Home / Arts and Entertainment / Varma's 'Yashoda & Krishna' Shatters Records at Auction
Varma's 'Yashoda & Krishna' Shatters Records at Auction
2 Apr
Summary
- Raja Ravi Varma's 'Yashoda and Krishna' sold for Rs 167.2 crore.
- Billionaire Cyrus Poonawalla acquired the record-setting artwork.
- The painting was painted in the 1890s and depicts a sacred narrative.
Raja Ravi Varma's iconic painting, 'Yashoda and Krishna,' achieved a record-breaking sale of Rs 167.2 crore during Saffronart's Spring Live Auction. The artwork was acquired by industrialist Cyrus Poonawalla. This sale significantly surpasses the previous record for Indian art at auction.
Painted in the 1890s, the oil on canvas is celebrated for its depiction of Yashoda and the infant Krishna. It masterfully blends a domestic moment with sacred narrative, showcasing Varma's accomplished style. The painting had been part of a private collection before its auction.
Varma, a pioneer of early modern Indian art, popularized oil painting and fused European realism with Indian mythological subjects. His establishment of a lithographic press in 1894 also facilitated the mass production of his works, bringing Hindu iconography to households across India.
