India’s oil portrait of Indian Independence leader will be auctioned in London

A rare oil portrait of India’s independence leader Mahatma Gandhi – depicted in 1931 in the UK – will be auctioned in London next month.

Gandhi led the non -violent resistance movement against British government in India, and his exercises inspired millions. Most Indians appreciate it as the “father of the nation”.

For many years, several paintings, drawings and sketches have been distributed around the world.

In Bonhams’ auction house, a picture made by British artist Claire Leytan is “considered the only oil portrait behind which Gandhi actually sat.”

The portrait was made when Gandhi went to London in 1931 at the second round table to discuss constitutional reforms for India and resolve his self -government requirements.

It will be auctioned in the second week of July in Bonhams.

“This is a picture of unique historical and cultural importance. It would be great if it were visible and more widely, be in India or elsewhere,” said the BBC Caspar Leytan, the great nephew of the artist.

According to Bonham, Claire Leytan “was one of the few artists who confessed to his office, and was given the opportunity to sit and draw his similarity several times.”

The works remained in the artist’s collection before her death in 1989 in the US, after which he was handed over to her family.

She was introduced to Gandhi through her partner and British political journalist Henry Noel Brailsford, who was a supporter of India’s independence movement.

In November 1931, Leytan demonstrated his portraits of Gandhi at the Albanian Gallery in London.

Despite the fact that Gandhi did not attend the open event, several representatives of the Indian delegation of the second round table were present.

Among them was the Naida Sadzhin, also a well -known Indian Independence leader, which was one of Gandhi’s key advisers.

The exhibition included a sketch of the charcoal Gandhi, which is sleeping in his office, as well as an oil portrait that will now be auction.

About Gandhi’s picture, British journalist Winifred Holtby wrote: “Little man squats bare head, in a blanket, raised finger, as it often needs to emphasize, mouth, mouth They parted a word that is almost a smile. “

Next month, Gandhi Mahadev’s personal secretary wrote Leitan, saying: “Many of my friends who saw it (oil portrait) in the Albanian Gallery, told me that this is a good resemblance.”

It seems that there are no public records about the oil portrait, which is displayed elsewhere until 1978, when the Boston Public Library organized an exhibition of works by Leytan.

However, according to the artist’s family, it is assumed that the portrait was demonstrated in the 1970s in the US, where it was allegedly damaged by a knife attack.

The label, attached to the portrait substrate, states that its restored laboratories for the protection of the Museum of Limon Alina in Connecticut in 1974.

Details are allegedly unclear – according to Bonham, it was carried out by the right Hindu activists.

Hindu harsh letters in India accused Gandhi of treason of Hindus, being too promoted, and accuse him of the Indian and bloodshed department, who noted the division that India and Pakistan, created after independence in 1947.

On January 30, 1948, he was shot at a prayer meeting of Nathur Godse, an activist with nationalist law groups.