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Mohan Samant — featured artwork

Introduction

Date of Birth
1926
Date of Death
22 Jan 2004
Age
78
Place of Birth
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
State Country of Birth
Maharashtra, India

Chronicled Highlights 91949 – 1997

Mohan Samant was born in 1926 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.
1949
Public Auction HighPainting
HEART · The Intuitive-Logic II: Modern & Contemporary Indian Paintings, Drawings, Graphics, Sculpture & TapestryMumbai · 15 November 1997
In 1997, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Market Scene (1949), offered in the The Intuitive-Logic II: Modern & Contemporary Indian Paintings, Drawings, Graphics, Sculpture & Tapestry by HEART, which concluded on 15 November 1997 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹1,10,000 ($2,994). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Market Scene, 1949 | Painting
Selling price
INR1,10,000
Below low estimate
Estimate
INR 1,20,000 – 1,75,000
Rate per sq in
INR 804
Medium
Watercolour on paper
Dimensions
13.9 × 9.8 in (35 × 25 cm)
Signature
Signed in Hindi, I.r. (left piece). Dated & inscribed on the back in English
Lot
45 · He.Mum/15.11.97
1951
Public Auction HighPainting
Osian's · India: The Passionate Detachment: Curated Auctions of Indian Modern and Contemporary Art and BooksMumbai · 24 February 2001
In 2001, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Blue Mirror (1951), offered in the India: The Passionate Detachment: Curated Auctions of Indian Modern and Contemporary Art and Books by Osian's, which concluded on 24 February 2001 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹1,20,000 ($2,576). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Blue Mirror, early 1950s | Painting
Selling price
INR1,20,000
Below low estimate
Estimate
INR 1,75,000 – 2,50,000
Rate per sq in
INR 475
Medium
Oil on paper
Dimensions
17.5 × 14.4 in (45 × 37 cm)
Lot
141 · Os.Mum/24.02.01
1954
Public Auction HighPainting
Sotheby's · The Indian SaleLondon · 08 May 1997
In 1997, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1954), offered in the The Indian Sale by Sotheby's, which concluded on 08 May 1997 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹48,312 ($1,349). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Untitled, c.1952-1954 | Painting
Selling price
INR48,312
4% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 34,840 – 46,453
Rate per sq in
INR 114
Medium
Gouache on card
Dimensions
17.9 × 23.6 in (46 × 60 cm)
Lot
307 · So.Lon/08.05.97
1955
Literary ReferencePainting
Osian's · India Historical Lila: Auction of Indian Modern and Contemporary Paintings, Drawings and Graphic ArtMumbai · 20 October 2001
There is a poetic quality in Mohan Samant’s painting that is closely akin to music, which is indeed his first and continuing love…His restless vision is apocalyptic and his experience metaphysical rather than sensory; his images, albeit they are assembled in a seemingly familiar encounter, belong to a dream-world of hieroglyphs, erotic creatures, angels and mermaids, legendary snakes, coagulated symbols with accidental physical attributes and cut-outs from other paintings. The phantasmagoria of this dreamland cohere in a consistency of realization and gesture, built into the texture of the painting; the images echo recollected experiences in the consciousness of the spectator; their impact is dramatic but not abrupt.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Woman With Sitar, 1955 | Painting
Selling price
INR1,83,750
Below low estimate
Estimate
INR 2,50,000 – 3,25,000
Rate per sq in
INR 413
Medium
Oil and watercolour on paper
Dimensions
29.7 × 15 in (76 × 38 cm)
Lot
87 · Os.Mum/20.10.01
1958
Public Auction HighPainting
Sotheby's · Modern & Contemporary Art: South Asia: India, PakistanNew York · 18 September 2008
In 2008, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Fishmarket (1958), offered in the Modern & Contemporary Art: South Asia: India, Pakistan by Sotheby's, which concluded on 18 September 2008 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹57,21,975 ($122,500). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Fishmarket, 1958 | Painting
Selling price
INR57,21,975
513% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 7,00,650 – 9,34,200
Rate per sq in
INR 2,001
Medium
Mixed media on canvas
Dimensions
48 × 59.5 in (122 × 151 cm)
Lot
26 · So.NeY/18.09.08
1965
Public Auction HighPainting
Christie's · South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art OnlineNew York · 01 April 2026
In 2026, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (White Wall) (1965), offered in the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art Online by Christie's, which concluded on 01 April 2026 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹1,42,05,021.12 ($152,400). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Untitled (White Wall), circa 1960s | Painting
Selling price
INR1,42,05,021
205% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 27,96,264 – 46,60,440
Rate per sq in
INR 5,682
Medium
Mixed media on canvas
Dimensions
50 × 50 in (127 × 127 cm)
Lot
94 · Ch.NeY/01.04.26
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by Herbert Mayer, owner of World House Galleries, New York Thence by descent
1969
Public Auction HighPainting
Sotheby's · Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art OnlineNew York · 16 March 2020
In 2020, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Kings and the Crowd (1969), offered in the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Online by Sotheby's, which concluded on 16 March 2020 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹1,20,69,248.75 ($162,500). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Kings and the Crowd, 1969 | Painting
Selling price
INR1,20,69,249
171% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 29,70,892 – 44,56,338
Rate per sq in
INR 2,979
Medium
Mixed media on canvas
Dimensions
57.9 × 70 in (147 × 178 cm)
Lot
15 · So.NeY/16.03.20
1973
Public Auction HighPainting
Pundole · The Fine Art SaleMumbai · 17 October 2024
In 2024, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled: Heads in a Triangle (1973), offered in the The Fine Art Sale by Pundole, which concluded on 17 October 2024 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹1,30,00,000 ($154,705.92). 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Untitled: Heads in a Triangle, 1973 | Painting
Selling price
INR1,30,00,000
63% above high estimate
Estimate
INR 60,00,000 – 80,00,000
Rate per sq in
INR 3,050
Medium
Mixed media with sand on canvas
Dimensions
62.8 × 67.9 in (160 × 172 cm)
Signature
Signed, dated and inscribed ‘M.B. Samant / 73 / 145 W. 21 st ST. / N.Y.C. 10011 / N.Y.’ on reverse
Lot
70 · Pu.Mum/17.10.24
1997
Image 1/2
First Auction Appearance | BOOK.AUCPainting
Sotheby's · The Indian SaleLondon · 08 May 1997
On 08 May 1997, made their debut in the Indian public auction market when Summer was presented as Lot in The Indian Sale, 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.
Samant, Mohan (Artist). Summer, c.1952-1954 | Painting
Selling price
INR60,099
Within estimate
Estimate
INR 58,067 – 87,100
Rate per sq in
INR 141
Medium
Gouache on card
Dimensions
17.9 × 23.8 in (46 × 61 cm)
Lot
306 · So.Lon/08.05.97

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