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Hammer Time: Record-Breaking Lots of 2026
These masterpieces have claimed their place in history, reflecting artistic triumph and the quiet power of imagination
Art often holds the dual weight of history and introspection, mirroring both a changing world and the inner lives of those who inhabit it. In March 2026, an AstaGuru auction crystallised this truth, bringing together pivotal works and setting new benchmarks for artists such as Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij, Bikash Bhattacharjee and others.
The auction’s most significant result was Ramkinkar Baij’s sculpture Father & Son, a powerful cement cast that weaves together themes of the dignity of labour, rhythmic movement and generational bonds through his distinct, rough-hewn Modernist language. The work realised ₹6.42 crore underscoring Baij’s status as a pillar of Indian sculpture.
Nandalal Bose’s Untitled (Shiva Drinking World Poison) presents Lord Shiva in a moment of profound stillness after the cosmic act of consuming the world’s poison, distilling epic mythology into a quietly intense, deeply spiritual image. The watercolour achieved a landmark ₹4.84 crore, marking a major result for this Bengal School master.
Bikash Bhattacharjee’s untitled triptych from 1998 orchestrated a gradual transformation in both form and mood, using his blend of meticulous realism and psychological tension to meditate on the human condition and the anxieties of contemporary society. The set of three canvases sold for ₹3.99 crore, reaffirming Bhattacharjee’s enduring resonance with collectors.
Latika Katt’s Fields, a unique bronze, highlighted the pioneering sculptor’s novel approach to material and form, evoking open plains where human presence and nature subtly converge. The work went under the hammer for approximately ₹31.9 lakh, signalling renewed attention to her trailblazing practice.
Niren Sengupta’s Initiation exemplified the artist’s contemplative Modernism, where stylised figures, luminous colour and symbolic motifs explore spirituality, devotion and the inner journey of human existence. The painting was sold for ₹19.5 lakh, consolidating his appeal among collectors of spiritually inflected Modern art.
Vidya Bhushan’s Man & Woman offered a Modernist take on intimacy, gender and politics, using egg tempera’s matte textures, expressive colour and stylised forms to charge the space between its two protagonists. The 1958 work sold for around ₹19.5 lakh, underscoring its importance within mid-20th-century Indian figurative art.
Rounding out these highlights, Shail Choyal’s Krishna’s Miracle, a large triptych from 2018, showcased the artist’s unique contemporary miniature idiom, where Krishna’s mythic presence unfolds through Rajasthani-inspired colour, pattern and surreal narrative detail. Offered in the same auction, the work realised ₹14.6 lakh, reflecting strong interest in his mythology-driven visual language.
Read the full story in the premiere issue of LuxeTrope, on stands now.
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