In 2007, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Randhashala In Puri Temple (1910), offered in the Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series VIII by Osian's, which concluded on 31 January 2007 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹15,90,000 ($35,997). 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
- 18 Sep 1867
- Zodiac sign
- Virgo
- Date of Death
- 14 Feb 1938
- Age
- 70
- Place of Birth
- Calcutta, West Bengal, India
- Place of Death
- Calcutta
- Spouse(s)
- Did not marry
- State Country of Birth
- West Bengal, India
- St. Xavier's School, Kolkata, India
- Learnt the Japanese technique of brush & ink from Kakuzo Okakura & other Japanese artists
1905
- Hosts the founding meeting of the Bengal Arts CouncilAssociated Institution
1907
- Founder Member, The Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, IndiaOfficial Position
1910
- Collection of Indian miniatures (exhibited with the Indian Society of Oriental Art)Associated Institution
1912
- Illustrations for Rabindranath Tagore's 'Jibansmriti'Associated Institution
1915
- Takes responsibility for running the training institute of the Indian Society of Oriental Art upon its foundationAssociated Institution
1916
- Published 'Virupa Vajra' (Play of Opposites) and Advoot Lok (Realm of the Absurd), two volumes of caricaturesAssociated Institution
1916 – 1918
- Published 'Nava Hullor' (Reform Screams), a third volume of caricatures, with Thacker SpinksAssociated Institution
1916 – 1918
- Formed the purchase committee of the Government Art Gallery, along with Abanindranath Tagore, Justice Woodroffe, Norman Blount, Rueboson and Muller.Associated Institution
1916 – 1918
- Published 'Bhodor Bahadur' (Otter the Great)—the only literary work in Bengali left behind by the artistAssociated Institution
1916 – 1918
1924
- Prepares Illustrations for Rabindranath Tagore's play 'Red Oleanders' published in the Visva Bharati Quarterly.Associated Institution
1924 – 1925
Exhibitions
1908
- Inaugural Exhibition, Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
1909
- Indian Society of Oriental Art Exhibition, Shimla, India
1910
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
1911
- Festival of Empire, Organised by Indian Society of Oriental Art, for George V's Coronation, Crystal Palace, London, UK
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, United Provinces Exhibition, Allahabad, India
1912
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
1914
- 22nd Exhibition of Societe des Peintres Orientalistes Francais, Grand Palais, Paris travelled to Belgium, Holland & Imperial Institute, England
- His work was exhibited in the 22nd exhibition de Societe des peintres orientalistes francais in Paris, London, Belgium and Holland
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata & Young Men's Indian Association, Chennai, India
1915
- Indian Society of Oriental Art,Chennai, India
1922
- 14th Annual Exhibition of the lndian Society of Oriental Art, Calcutta, India
1923
- Berlin and Hamburg, Germany
- His work was exhibited in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany
1924
- Travelling Exhibition, Organised by American Federation of Art & Indian Society of Oriental Art at, USA
1928
- He exhibited in the Athene Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
- Athenee Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
1967
- Gaganendranath's Centenary Exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
18 Sep 1967 to 24 Sep 1967
1975
- A Handbook of Bengal School. National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, India
1976
- Advoot Lok, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1979
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1914
- His work was exhibited in the 22nd exhibition de Societe des peintres orientalistes francais in Paris, London, Belgium and Holland
1923
- His work was exhibited in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany
1928
- He exhibited in the Athene Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
1967
- Gaganendranath's Centenary Exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
18 Sep 1967 to 24 Sep 1967
1979
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
17 Mar 1979 to 20 Mar 1979
1987
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
17 Mar 1987 to 20 Mar 1987
2000
Tagore, Gaganendranath (Artist) and Prabhas Kejariwal (Curator). Gaganendranath Tagore, 2000 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00883004
1908
- Inaugural Exhibition, Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
1909
- Indian Society of Oriental Art Exhibition, Shimla, India
1910
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
1911
- Festival of Empire, Organised by Indian Society of Oriental Art, for George V's Coronation, Crystal Palace, London, UK
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, United Provinces Exhibition, Allahabad, India
1912
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata, India
1914
- 22nd Exhibition of Societe des Peintres Orientalistes Francais, Grand Palais, Paris travelled to Belgium, Holland & Imperial Institute, England
- Indian Society of Oriental Art, Kolkata & Young Men's Indian Association, Chennai, India
1915
- Indian Society of Oriental Art,Chennai, India
1922
- 14th Annual Exhibition of the lndian Society of Oriental Art, Calcutta, India
1923
- Berlin and Hamburg, Germany
1924
- Travelling Exhibition, Organised by American Federation of Art & Indian Society of Oriental Art at, USA
1928
- Athenee Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
1975
- A Handbook of Bengal School. National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, India
1976
- Advoot Lok, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1979
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1987
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1991
- The Two Tagores - The Early Indian Modern Painters. CMC Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
1997
- Intuitive Logic: A Festival of Indian Contemporary Painting, Presented by The Tuli Foundation for Holistic Education & Art (HEART) at, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, India
01 Mar 1997 to 19 Apr 1997
Calcutta Metropolitan Festival of Art (Organiser) and Ganesh Haloi (Curator). Art of Bengal, 1997 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883543
Chronicled Highlights 141910 – 2022
Gaganendranath Tagore was born in 18 September 1867 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India.
In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Landscape (1911), offered in the The ABC Series: Art, Book & Cinema by Osian's, which concluded on 20 July 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹12,65,000 ($27,007). 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.
Gaganendra was a virtuoso in his many-sidedness. He was also a non-conformist… (he) kept outside the pale of the parochial orthodoxy of Modern Indian Art. He remained a free painter all through, free from fetish of all kinds – oriental or occidental… His artistic motivation was a curious amalgam of deliberate intellection penetrated and surcharged by a romanticism of the wmotional-impulsive type.
In 2010, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Sleepless City (1915), offered in the Indian and Southeast Asian Art: Including Property from The Francisco Capelo Collection by Sotheby's, which concluded on 24 March 2010 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹31,25,655 ($68,500). 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 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1920), offered in the South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 10 June 2015 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹55,39,061.25 ($86,703.76). 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 2007, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1921), offered in the ABC Series III: Art, Book & Cinema by Osian's, which concluded on 29 March 2007 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹24,00,000 ($55,210). 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 2008, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1921), offered in the Indian Modern & Contemporary Art by Osian's, which concluded on 18 March 2008 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹31,20,000 ($76,809). 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.
…he is a legend among the discriminating and, as time passes, his work is coming to be recognized as even more significant than the major works of the school with which he was vaguely associated. For, both in his mature painting, where he sought to absorb Far Eastern and Cubist influences into the service of his own peculiar private vision of forms, and as a commentator on current affairs, through his cartoons he displayed a depth of understanding about the mental and moral crises in which India was involved and as extraordinary technical virtuosity as a craftsman…
In 1998, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Atrium (1925), offered in the Twentieth Century Indian Art by Christie's, which concluded on 02 June 1998 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹4,87,442 ($11,685). 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 Hindur Dharma Ghorotoro Aghatan (1925), offered in the Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings by Triveda, which concluded on 25 October 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹6,90,000 ($15,232). 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 2015, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Bed of Arrows (Bhishma) (1925), offered in the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 06 October 2015 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹80,48,137.5 ($123,077.52). 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 1922, our artist (G.T.) introduced cubism in India, and at once cubism shows another aspect. It is not the dissolution and fragmentation of the static, but of the dynamic character of objects which break up in cubes…The transformation of cubism asa principle of composition from an interpenetrating order of vertical and horizontal units into an expressive three-dimensional context or emotional pattern is the artist’s contribution to Indian art and to cubism alike... G.N. Tagore remained an isolated phenomenon.
Economics of Art
Record-high lots11
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 Gaganendranath Tagore’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.
1951
- Deemed National Art Treasure, Government of India
Government of India
Research Centre
Posts 1
- "What does 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗷 truly mean? Is freedom achieved at a single historic moment or period, or must self-rule be continually imagined, questioned and renewed? India's journey towards Swaraj was shaped not by one voice or one path, but through reform and resistance, revolution and non-violence, political thought, public protest, art, print, photography, cinema and the collective will of its people. The Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) presents 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗝: 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, a pioneering exhibition curated by Neville Tuli. Bringing together rare artworks, prints, photographs, books, film publicity art, political propaganda and visual-textual-audio archives, SWARAJ traces India's complex journey towards political self-rule and self-discovery. From early European coastal encounters, the Bengal Renaissance and the First War of Independence in 1857 to the rise of Bharat Mata, the Tiranga, Gandhiji's inspired satyagraha, civil disobedience and mass mobilisation, the exhibition explores how the idea of India was envisioned, contested and transformed. It journeys through revolutionary movements and non-violence, subaltern uprisings, the Partition, the Constitution, the integration of the Princely States, the Emergency, wars, civic dissent and people's protests. It also foregrounds the vital role of artists, photographers, publishers, newspapers, journals, cartoons and cinema in recording and shaping the nation's political consciousness. SWARAJ invites us to encounter history not as something distant or settled, but as a daily living inheritance that continues to influence who we are and how we understand freedom, identity, and ourselves today. Watch the video for a glimpse into this expansive visual journey, and follow the exhibition as it revisualises India's political history through art, image, text and sound.
Calendar 2
- ArchivedOpening PreviewProject 82SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political HistoryAn Exhibition of Modern & Contemporary Fine & Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archive12th August 20266:00 PM - 9:00 PMVisual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi,The Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) announces its seventh exhibition. “Swaraj – Revisualising India's Political History” -- An exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Fine and Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archives. Swaraj will open at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at the Visual Arts Gallery and will remain open till 7 p.m. Sunday, 16 August 2026. Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) presents SWARAJ | Revisualising India's Political History, a pioneering inter-disciplinary offline-online exhibition conceptualised and curated by Neville Tuli with Team T.R.I.S.. SWARAJ explores India's journey towards political self-rule and self-discovery through a remarkable collection of rare modern and contemporary fine and popular arts, albums, photographs, books, prints, propaganda, cartoons, film publicity artworks and other "text-visual-audio" archives contextualised within a clear historical framework, which defines T.R.I.S.' pedagogic approach to learning. The Exhibition will be of particular interest to students and scholars of India & Cultural Studies, and India's political and modern histories as well as those interested in the passage of events and ideas from the mid-1850s leading up to the turn of the 21st century. Unique to the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies is the richness of visual material that not only exhorts a deeper understanding of the art and archival materials on display but also brings alive the multi-layered narratives of the exhibition and naturally India's journey in being ad searching for herself.Read More →
- ArchivedExhibitionProject 81SWARAJ - Revisualising India's Political HistoryAn Exhibition of Modern & Contemporary Fine & Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archive12th - 19th August 202610:00 AM - 7:00 PMVisual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi,19The Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) announces its seventh exhibition. “Swaraj – Revisualising India's Political History” -- An exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Fine and Popular Arts, Photography, Film Memorabilia and Visual-Textual-Audio Archives. Swaraj will open at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at the Visual Arts Gallery and will remain open till 7 p.m. Sunday, 16 August 2026. Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) presents SWARAJ | Revisualising India's Political History, a pioneering inter-disciplinary offline-online exhibition conceptualised and curated by Neville Tuli with Team T.R.I.S.. SWARAJ explores India's journey towards political self-rule and self-discovery through a remarkable collection of rare modern and contemporary fine and popular arts, albums, photographs, books, prints, propaganda, cartoons, film publicity artworks and other "text-visual-audio" archives contextualised within a clear historical framework, which defines T.R.I.S.' pedagogic approach to learning. The Exhibition will be of particular interest to students and scholars of India & Cultural Studies, and India's political and modern histories as well as those interested in the passage of events and ideas from the mid-1850s leading up to the turn of the 21st century. Unique to the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies is the richness of visual material that not only exhorts a deeper understanding of the art and archival materials on display but also brings alive the multi-layered narratives of the exhibition and naturally India's journey in being ad searching for herself.Read More →
Related
47
Personalities
30
Institutions
13
Locations
1