For anyone entering the world of international art, the smartest first step is often the simplest one
Jamini Roy dominates lots while Ravi Varma and Sher-Gil drive high-value sales among the nine icons
The Navratna artists—Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, Jamini Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Sailoz Mookherjea, and Nicholas Roerich—continue commanding reverence in 2025 auctions. Key turnover figures spotlight their market pull.
Sher-Gil led with ₹37.52 crore total turnover at auction in 2025. Raja Ravi Varma followed, generating ₹23.94 crore ($2.72 million) from just seven lots sold, nearly 60 per cent exceeding ₹1 crore. Rabindranath Tagore achieved ₹14.78 crore from only five lots. Jamini Roy claimed 52% share of all Navratna lots at auction that year, with 91 works sold.
Lot-wise breakup for 2025 reveals the spread: Nicholas Roerich at 14 lots, Sailoz Mookherjea at 4, Gaganendranath Tagore at 5, Abanindranath Tagore at 4, Raja Ravi Varma at 7, Amrita Sher-Gil at 25, Rabindranath Tagore at 5, and Nandalal Bose at 20.
These results affirm the Navratna artists as consistently sought-after assets with competitive bidding and long-term value retention as the Indian art market matures.
Read the full story in the premiere issue of LuxeTrope, on stands now.
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