In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Lady Playing A Mandolin (1915), offered in the Masterpieces & Museum Quality Series VI: With Rare Drawings and Books on Indian Contemporary Art by Osian's, which concluded on 01 March 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹6,61,250 ($14,910). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Introduction
- Date of Birth
- 1870
- Date of Death
- 16 Mar 1935
- Age
- 65
- Place of Birth
- Asnova Village, Goa, India
- State Country of Birth
- Goa, India
1890
- Trained from J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, India
1898
- Appointed as a teacher at the J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, India
1921
- Appointed as a Superintendent of the Reay Workshops at the J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, India
1921 – 1925
Chronicled Highlights 111915 – 1992
A.X. Trindade was born in 1870 in Asnova Village, Goa, India.
In 2004, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Widow's Mite (1921), offered in the The Masterpieces & Museum Quality Series: Indian Contemporary Art – Books, Paintings & Sculpture by Osian's, which concluded on 15 October 2004 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹3,73,908 ($8,153). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
In 2004, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Christ Series (1921), offered in the The Masterpieces & Museum Quality Series: Indian Contemporary Art – Books, Paintings & Sculpture by Osian's, which concluded on 15 October 2004 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹4,02,670 ($8,780). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Woman Washing Christ's Feet (1923), offered in the Contemporary Indian and Pakistani Paintings by Bonhams, which concluded on 14 September 2006 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹51,99,000 ($112,654). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
In 2022, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of La Source (1925), offered in the Masters Legacy by Asta Guru, which concluded on 30 April 2022 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹73,21,427 ($95,786.82). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Among Indian portrait painters, Antonio Xavier Trindade was the one with a distinctly classical approach. His Roman Catholic upbringing in Portuguese Goa greatly influenced both his technique and subject matter… In addition to perceptive oil portraits of well-known figures of his time, Trindade’s ouvre also included several intimate domestic scenes featuring his family, servants and itinerant medicants. The depth of psychological perception and purity of tones found in his oil paintings prompted one contemporary writer to dub him the “Rembrandt of the East” although the eloquence of his chiaroscuro technique is perhaps more reminiscent of the Spanish painters Velasquez and Goya. Because of his religious background, Trindade was perhaps unique among his compatriots for his penetrating versions of Christian themes.
The paintings of A.X. Trindade exemplify the exceptional draftsmanship and handling of paint as well as the skillfully executed composition that earned him a place of honour in the history of early 20th century Indian art. His artistic style reflects the European preference, disseminated through the British instructors at the Sir J.J. School of Art and his own Western orientation as a Goan Catholic. Beyond the attainment of technique, Trindade imbued his portraits and his landscapes with a sense of personality, of ethnic identity and of an era.
In 1992, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Woman Performing Pooja (1930), offered in the Indian European and Oriental Paintings and Works of Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 09 October 1992 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹1,10,000 ($3,661). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
In 1997, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Portrait of a Gentleman (1931), offered in the Indian Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 04 June 1997 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹1,34,631 ($3,763). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
In 1992, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Madonna with Halo (1932), offered in the Indian European and Oriental Paintings and Works of Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 09 October 1992 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹88,000 ($2,928). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
On 09 October 1992, A.X. Trindade made their debut in the Indian public auction market when La Source (After Ingres) was presented as Lot 124 in Indian European and Oriental Paintings and Works of Art, conducted by Sotheby's in New Delhi, India. This auction marked the artist's first recorded appearance in the public auction market, establishing the earliest chapter of their auction history.
Economics of Art
Record-high lots8
Public Auction Market (1987–2026) | Select Indicators
Annual Auction Sale Turnover
It aggregates all sales across global auction houses into yearly totals.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The turnover graph highlights periods of strong growth, moments of market correction, and resilience during downturns. Peaks often align with landmark works coming to public auction, while troughs may indicate reduced supply or weaker demand. Over time, the curve illustrates the overall trajectory of A.X. Trindade’s public auction market presence.
Average Sale Price Per Lot
It smooths out fluctuations caused by the quantity of works offered and focuses on the Average Sale Price level per artwork.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
Rising average sale prices indicate growing collector confidence and a stronger willingness to pay higher amounts per work. Assuming the mix of mediums remains relatively stable over time, the proportion of works on paper typically priced lower than works on canvas adds important context to understanding these market movements.
Square Inch Rate Trend
This allows fair comparisons between smaller works and larger canvases.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The Square Inch Rate shown in the graph combines various medium types such as canvas, paper, board, and others. Historically, works on canvas and board have broadly commanded higher prices compared to works on paper.
1892
- Won a Mayo Silver Medal for his head study, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai, India
1899
- Won the coveted Mayo Silver Medal for outstanding merit in art
1920
- Awarded the Gold Medal entitled painting Flora, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai, India
1921
- Governor's Prize at Bombay Art Society, Mumbai, India
1931
- Governor's Prize at Bombay Art Society, Mumbai, India
Research Centre
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Themes
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