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M A R Chughtai

M A R Chughtai

b. 1894, Lahore, Undivided India | Present-day Pakistand. 17 Jan 1975

Personality.Artist
On this Page
Introduction
Chronicled Highlights3
Economics of Art203
Research Centre435
All435
Library166Archive269Highlights11
Home/2_FineArts/Personality · Artist/M A R Chughtai
M A R Chughtai — featured artwork

Introduction

Date of Birth
1894
Date of Death
17 Jan 1975
Age
81
Place of Birth
Lahore, Undivided India | Present-day Pakistan
State Country of Birth
Undivided India | Present-day Pakistan

Chronicled Highlights 31935 – 1996

M A R Chughtai was born in 1894 in Lahore, Undivided India | Present-day Pakistan.
1935
Public Auction HighPainting
Christie's · South Asian Modern + Contemporary ArtNew York · 22 September 2021
In 2021, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Krishna Instructing Arjuna (1935), offered in the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 22 September 2021 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹1,84,50,650 ($250,000). 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.
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Krishna Instructing Arjuna, c.1930s | Painting
Selling price
INR1,84,50,650
400% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 22,14,078 – 36,90,130
Rate per sq in
INR 38,701
Medium
Watercolour on paper
Dimensions
24.8 × 19.3 in (63 × 49 cm)
Lot
687 · Ch.NeY/22.09.21
Research Categories
02Modern and Contemporary Indian Fine Arts
1936
Public Auction HighPainting
Osian's · Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series VIIIMumbai · 31 January 2007
In 2007, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Radha And Krishna Playing Holi (1936), 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 ₹1,68,00,000 ($380,349). 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.
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Radha And Krishna Playing Holi, 1936 | Painting
Selling price
INR1,68,00,000
236% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 40,00,000 – 50,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 42,574
Medium
Watercolour and wash heightened with gold on paper
Dimensions
22.3 × 17.7 in (57 × 45 cm)
Lot
5 · Os.Mum/31.01.07
1996
Image 1/2
First Auction Appearance | BOOK.AUCPainting
Sotheby's · Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings: One Hundred YearsLondon · 08 October 1996
On 08 October 1996, made their debut in the Indian public auction market when A Woman holding a Lotus with a song Bird was presented as Lot in Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings: One Hundred Years, conducted by Sotheby's in London, UK. This auction marked the artist's first recorded appearance in the public auction market, establishing the earliest chapter of their auction history.
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). A Woman holding a Lotus with a song Bird, c.1920 | Painting
Selling price
INR8,34,600
88% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 3,33,840 – 4,45,120
Rate per sq in
INR 4,055
Medium
Watercolour over pen, heightened with bodycolour and with gold on paper
Dimensions
16.3 × 12.6 in (42 × 32 cm)
Lot
12 · So.Lon/08.10.96
Provenance
Various Properties

Economics of Art

20 of 50
Currency
This section showcases auction lots that achieved record-high sale prices, tracked by the date each record was set based on the artist's historical auction data.

Record-high lots9

Public Auction Market (1987–2026) | Select Indicators

  1. Annual Auction Sale Turnover
  2. Average Sale Price Per Lot
  3. Square Inch Rate Trend
Currency

Annual Auction Sale Turnover

This indicator tracks the Total Annual Auction Sales value of M A R Chughtai’s artworks, beginning in 1987 through to the present.
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 M A R Chughtai’s public auction market presence.

Average Sale Price Per Lot

This measure calculates the Average Sale Price of all lots by M A R Chughtai sold each year.
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

The Square Inch Rate normalizes prices by the size of each artwork, showing the average sale value per square inch over time.
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.

Research Centre

M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Untitled, 1902, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Untitled, 1902 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Young Poet, 1920, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Young Poet, c.1920 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), A Woman holding a Lotus with a song Bird, 1920, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). A Woman holding a Lotus with a song Bird, c.1920 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Young Poet, 1925, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Young Poet, c.1925 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Saqi, 1925, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Saqi, 1925 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Studies, 1927, Drawing
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Studies, c.1927 | Drawing
G. Venkatachalam (Author), Contemporary Indian Painters, 1927, Authored Book
Venkatachalam, G. (Author). Contemporary Indian Painters, 1927 | Authored Book | 00845471
Chughtai's Paintings, 1928, Edited Book
Chughtai's Paintings, n.d. | Edited Book | 00845756
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Arjuna As A Victor, 1930, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Arjuna As A Victor, 1930 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Gusain Tulsidas, 1930, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Gusain Tulsidas, 1930 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Pilgrims, 1931, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Pilgrims, early 1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Mirza Ghalib, 1935, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Mirza Ghalib, mid 1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Krishna Instructing Arjuna, 1935, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Krishna Instructing Arjuna, c.1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Yassoda, 1935, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Yassoda, c.1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Radha And Krishna Playing Holi, 1936, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Radha And Krishna Playing Holi, 1936 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Pigeons On A Mosque Roof, 1936, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Pigeons On A Mosque Roof, 1936 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Untitled (Pigeons), 1936, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Untitled (Pigeons), 1936 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Princess, 1937, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Princess, 1937 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Untitled, 1941, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Untitled, 1941 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Shah Jahan Looking at the Taj, 1941, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Shah Jahan Looking at the Taj, early 1940s | Painting
20 of 435
G. Venkatachalam (Author), Contemporary Indian Painters, 1927, Authored Book
Venkatachalam, G. (Author). Contemporary Indian Painters, 1927 | Authored Book | 00845471
Chughtai's Paintings, 1928, Edited Book
Chughtai's Paintings, n.d. | Edited Book | 00845756
P.R. Ramachandra Rao (Author), Modern Indian Painting, 1949, Authored Book
Rao, P.R. Ramachandra (Author). Modern Indian Painting, 1949 | Authored Book | 00845456
Manohar Kaul (Author), Trends in Indian Painting, 1961, Authored Book
Kaul, Manohar (Author). Trends in Indian Painting, 1961 | Authored Book | 00845439
Jaya Appasamy (Editor), Abanindranath Tagore and the Art of His Times, 1968, Edited Book
Appasamy, Jaya (Editor). Abanindranath Tagore and the Art of His Times, 1968 | Edited Book | 00845876
Ratan Parimoo (Author), Studies in Modern Indian Art, 1975, Authored Book
Parimoo, Ratan (Author). Studies in Modern Indian Art, 1975 | Authored Book | 00845450
Krishan Chander Aryan (Author), Punjab Painting, 1975, Authored Book
Aryan, Krishan Chander (Author). Punjab Painting, 1975 | Authored Book | 00845410
D.C. Ghose (Author), Bibliography of Modern Indian Art, 1980, Authored Book
Ghose, D.C. (Author). Bibliography of Modern Indian Art, 1980 | Authored Book | 00845431
Ram Chatterjee (Editor), Indian Print Making Today 1985, 1985, Edited Book
Chatterjee, Ram (Editor). Indian Print Making Today 1985, 1985 | Edited Book | 00846001
Wijdan Ali (Editor), Contemporary Art, 1989, Edited Book
Ali, Wijdan (Editor). Contemporary Art, 1989 | Edited Book | 00846058
Partha Mitter (Author), Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850-1922, 1994, Authored Book
Mitter, Partha (Author). Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850-1922, 1994 | Authored Book | 00845445
Sotheby's (Auction House), Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings, 1996, Auction Catalogue
Sotheby's (Auction House). Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings. 08 October 1996 | Auction Catalogue | 00861848
Marcella Sirhandi (Author), Contemporary Painting in Pakistan, 1996, Authored Book
Sirhandi, Marcella (Author). Contemporary Painting in Pakistan, 1996 | Authored Book | 00845463
Sotheby's (Auction House), The Indian Sale, 1997, Auction Catalogue
Sotheby's (Auction House). The Indian Sale. 08 May 1997 | Auction Catalogue | 00861850
Heart (Auction House), The Intuitive-Logic II, 1997, Auction Catalogue
Heart (Auction House) and Neville Tuli (Curator). The Intuitive-Logic II. 15 November 1997 | Auction Catalogue | 00861853
Sotheby's (Auction House), Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings, 1997, Auction Catalogue
Sotheby's (Auction House). Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings. 10 October 1997 | Auction Catalogue | 00861852
Christie's (Auction House), Twentieth Century Indian Art, 1998, Auction Catalogue
Christie's (Auction House). Twentieth Century Indian Art. 02 June 1998 | Auction Catalogue | 00861854
Sotheby's (Auction House), Indian and Southeast Asian Art, 1998, Auction Catalogue
Sotheby's (Auction House). Indian and Southeast Asian Art. 17 September 1998 | Auction Catalogue | 00861856
Sotheby's (Auction House), Indian and Southeast Asian Art, 1999, Auction Catalogue
Sotheby's (Auction House). Indian and Southeast Asian Art. 16 September 1999 | Auction Catalogue | 00861860
Bonhams (Auction House), Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings, 1999, Auction Catalogue
Bonhams (Auction House). Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings. 16 June 1999 | Auction Catalogue | 00861858
20 of 166
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Untitled, 1902, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Untitled, 1902 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Young Poet, 1920, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Young Poet, c.1920 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), A Woman holding a Lotus with a song Bird, 1920, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). A Woman holding a Lotus with a song Bird, c.1920 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Young Poet, 1925, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Young Poet, c.1925 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Saqi, 1925, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Saqi, 1925 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Studies, 1927, Drawing
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Studies, c.1927 | Drawing
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Arjuna As A Victor, 1930, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Arjuna As A Victor, 1930 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Gusain Tulsidas, 1930, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Gusain Tulsidas, 1930 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), The Pilgrims, 1931, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). The Pilgrims, early 1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Mirza Ghalib, 1935, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Mirza Ghalib, mid 1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Krishna Instructing Arjuna, 1935, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Krishna Instructing Arjuna, c.1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Yassoda, 1935, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Yassoda, c.1930s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Radha And Krishna Playing Holi, 1936, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Radha And Krishna Playing Holi, 1936 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Pigeons On A Mosque Roof, 1936, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Pigeons On A Mosque Roof, 1936 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Untitled (Pigeons), 1936, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Untitled (Pigeons), 1936 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Princess, 1937, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Princess, 1937 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Untitled, 1941, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Untitled, 1941 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Shah Jahan Looking at the Taj, 1941, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Shah Jahan Looking at the Taj, early 1940s | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Joy and Sorrow, 1945, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Joy and Sorrow, 1942-1945 | Painting
M.A.R. Chughtai (Artist), Poet's Vision, 1945, Painting
Chughtai, M.A.R. (Artist). Poet's Vision, 1942-1945 | Painting
20 of 269
Chughtai's Paintings, 1928, Edited Book
Chughtai's Paintings, n.d. | Edited Book | 00845756
P.R. Ramachandra Rao (Author), Modern Indian Painting, 1949, Authored Book
Rao, P.R. Ramachandra (Author). Modern Indian Painting, 1949 | Authored Book | 00845456
Manohar Kaul (Author), Trends in Indian Painting, 1961, Authored Book
Kaul, Manohar (Author). Trends in Indian Painting, 1961 | Authored Book | 00845439
Jaya Appasamy (Editor), Abanindranath Tagore and the Art of His Times, 1968, Edited Book
Appasamy, Jaya (Editor). Abanindranath Tagore and the Art of His Times, 1968 | Edited Book | 00845876
Ratan Parimoo (Author), Studies in Modern Indian Art, 1975, Authored Book
Parimoo, Ratan (Author). Studies in Modern Indian Art, 1975 | Authored Book | 00845450
Partha Mitter (Author), Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850-1922, 1994, Authored Book
Mitter, Partha (Author). Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850-1922, 1994 | Authored Book | 00845445
National Gallery of Modern Art (Organiser), Pictorial Transformations, 2003, Group Exhibition Catalogue
National Gallery of Modern Art (Organiser) and Rajeev Lochan (Curator). Pictorial Transformations, 2003 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883499
Partha Mitter (Author), The Triumph of Modernism, 2007, Authored Book
Mitter, Partha (Author). The Triumph of Modernism, 2007 | Authored Book | 00845446
Yashodhara Dalmia (Author), Memory, Metaphor, Mutations, 2007, Authored Book
Dalmia, Yashodhara (Author). Memory, Metaphor, Mutations, 2007 | Authored Book | 00845423
Ratan Parimoo (Editor), Historical Development of Contemporary Indian Art 1880-1947, 2009, Edited Book
Parimoo, Ratan (Editor). Historical Development of Contemporary Indian Art 1880-1947, 2009 | Edited Book | 00846376
DAG (Organiser), A Visual History of Indian Modern Art, 2015, Group Exhibition Catalogue
DAG (Organiser) and Kishore Singh (Curator). A Visual History of Indian Modern Art, 2015 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883453

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for India Studies

A free and open knowledge base for the modern and contemporary Indian arts, cinema, photography and cultural heritage.

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                          Parimoo, Ratan (Editor). Historical Development of Contemporary Indian Art 1880-1947. New Delhi: Lalit Kala Akademi, 2009 | Edited Book | FineArts | 00846376
                          Ratan Parimoo (Editor)
                          TitleHistorical Development of Contemporary Indian Art 1880-1947
                          Contributor(s)Sandip Sarkar , Vikram Mehta, Vikram Mehta, Jehanara Wasi
                          Document TypeEdited Book
                          PublisherLalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
                          Date of Publication2009
                          First Edition2009
                          Pages500
                          BindingHardbound
                          LanguageEnglish
                          ISBN9788187507352

                          Research Categories

                          2_FineArts

                          Related Links28

                          Masterlist27
                          Raja Ravi VarmaAbanindranath TagoreD P Roy ChowdhuryAuthored Edited BooksGaganendranath TagoreRabindranath TagoreJamini RoyAmrita Sher GilF N SouzaNandalal BoseK K HebbarM V DhurandharM F PithawalaA X TrindadeN S BendreHemendranath MazumdarJ P GangoolyRamkinkar BaijKshitindranath MajumdarM a R ChughtaiK C S PanikerChittaprosadSomnath HoreGopal GhoseParitosh SenSunil Madhav SenRatan Parimoo
                          Research Categories
                          02Modern and Contemporary Indian Fine Arts