London auction, world record for an Indian painting from the Aga Khan collection
Christie's auction in London exceeds estimate by six times with €52 million of Aga Khan works
LONDON - The Aga Khan's personal art collection was a great success at the auction organised by Christie's in London: not only were all the works sold, but the proceeds exceeded the auction house's estimate by a factor of six, grossing a total of GBP 45.7 million, about EUR 52.2 million.
The sale 'Exceptional paintings from the personal collection of Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan' also set a new world record for an Indian painting. The painting 'A family of cheetahs in a rocky landscape', attributed to the Mughal master Basawan and dating back to 1575, received numerous bids, reaching an unprecedented £10.2 million. The auction house's experts had estimated the painting at between £700,000 and £1 million.
The auction was attended by collectors from twenty countries on four continents, a fifth of whom were new Christie's customers.
the results of the auction of paintings from the Aga Khan's collection demonstrate the enduring appeal of works of art of such importance and provenance, many of which are considered masterpieces of Indian and Persian painting," said Sara Plumbly, Head of Islamic and Indian Art at Christie's. "Many people came to view the works when the exhibition was open to the public, and the interest and enthusiasm shown was reflected in the exceptional prices these works fetched.
The world record achieved for the Basawan painting, and more generally the success of the entire auction, represent "both a key moment for the Islamic and Indian art market and a tribute to the expert eye of Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan," added Plumbly.
