He also emphasises that a good work must evoke a strong, lasting feeling
Navratna Artists Show Strong Auction Demand in 2025
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.
Read More
As wealth preferences evolve, HNIs are increasingly turning to art and alternative collectibles
Himmat Shah’s work combines material sensitivity, quiet force and enduring collector appeal
The collector and space designer talks about her collecting philosophy
A steady rise in turnover over five years underscores sustained demand and strong collector confidence
Giftex.in’s Modern & Contemporary Art Auction delivered strong results; here are the top lots that surpassed estimates