In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (Christ With Cross) (1963), 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 ₹29,90,000 ($67,418). 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
- 01 Jan 1929
- Zodiac sign
- Capricorn
- Place of Birth
- Howrah, West Bengal, India
- State Country of Birth
- West Bengal, India
1949
- Joined Government School of Art, Kolkata, India (unfinished studies)
1952
- Graduated in Commerce, Calcutta University, Kolkata, India
1956
- Indian College of Art and Draughtsmanship, Kolkata, India (evening classes)
1956 – 1958
1959
- Art Appreciation Course, Ashutosh Museum, Calcutta University, Kolkata, India
1953
- Starts teaching in I.R. Belilious Institution, Howrah, India
1953 – 1954
1955
- Was employed by the Railways with posting in Kolkata, India
1964
- Founder member, Calcutta Painters Group
1969
- Organised Calcutta Art Fair with fellow artists
1970
- Elected Joint Secretary, Calcutta Art Fair
- Edited Drawings by Contemporary Artists of Bengal
1978
- Participates in the Painter's Workshop, Max Mueller Bhavan, Kolkata, India
1979
- Member, General Council, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, India
1979 – 1983
1986
- C.M.C. Artist's Camp, Kolkata, India
1987
- Lecturer, Visual Arts Department, Rabindra Bharati University Kolkata, India
1989
- Hudco - Art Camp, New Delhi, India
1994
- Art Camp, Howrah, India
- Forum for Art & Research Art Camp, Organised by Young Artists Association, Krishnanagar, West Bengal, India
1996
- Participated in the Art Camp Organised by the Calcutta Police Family Welfare Centre, Kolkata, India
1997
- Vice President, Calcutta Metropolitan Art Festival, Kolkata, India
1999
- Elected member of Charukala Parishad, Department of Information and Culture, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata, India
2000
- Participated in the Art Camp held at Taj Bengal Hotel, Kolkata, India
- Participated in the Art Camp held at Raichak, For Tribal Welfare Society, Kolkata, India
- Art Camp at Taj Place Hotel, New Delhi, India
2001
- All India Art Camp, Gwalior, India
2004
- Art Camp at Darjeeling, India
2005
- Art Camp at Tata Steel, Jamshedpur, India
- Art Camp, Sri Lanka
Exhibitions
1961
- Exhibition of Paintings, Water Colours and Mixed Media Works, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1962
- Exhibition of Paintings in oil, Watercolour and Mixed Media Works, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1963
- Arts and Prints Gallery, Kolkata, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1964
- Arts and Prints Gallery, Kolkata, India
- All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1965
- Artistry House, Kolkata, India
- Artistry House, Kolkata, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1966
- Priyadarshini Gallery, Kolkata, India
1967
- Arts and Prints Gallery, Kolkata, India
1968
- Group Show at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, India
1969
- All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1970
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
1971
- Recent Paintings, Gallery Chemould, Kolkata, India
04 Jan 1971 to 14 Jan 1971
- Calcutta Information Centre, Kolkata, India
- Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1972
- Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
1961
- Exhibition of Paintings, Water Colours and Mixed Media Works, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1962
- Exhibition of Paintings in oil, Watercolour and Mixed Media Works, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, India
1963
- Arts and Prints Gallery, Kolkata, India
1964
- Arts and Prints Gallery, Kolkata, India
1965
- Artistry House, Kolkata, India
1966
- Priyadarshini Gallery, Kolkata, India
1967
- Arts and Prints Gallery, Kolkata, India
1971
- Recent Paintings, Gallery Chemould, Kolkata, India
04 Jan 1971 to 14 Jan 1971
1973
- Paintings, Gallery Chemould, Kolkata, India
04 Apr 1973 to 13 Apr 1973
1974
- Paintings and Collages, Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, India
01 Nov 1974 to 08 Nov 1974
1976
- French Cultural Centre, Kolkata, India
1977
- Exhibition of Paintings by Rabin Mondal, Presented by Calcutta Painters, Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, India
14 Feb 1977 to 20 Feb 1977
1978
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
1979
- Exhibition of Paintings on King Theme, Presented by Diologue, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
29 May 1979 to 03 Jun 1979
1980
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
- Max Mueller Bhavan, Mumbai, India
1982
- Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, India
22 Feb 1982 to 06 Mar 1982
1983
- Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, India
1984
02 May 1984 to 13 May 1984
1987
- Art Heritage, New Delhi, India
Mondal, Rabin (Artist). Rabin Mondal, 1984 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882465
1963
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1964
- All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1965
- Artistry House, Kolkata, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1968
- Group Show at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, India
1969
- All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1970
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
1971
- Calcutta Information Centre, Kolkata, India
- Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1972
- Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
- Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, India
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
- Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1973
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
1974
- Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
1975
- 3rd Triennale India, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
- Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
- Alliance Francaise, Kolkata, India
Chronicled Highlights 61963 – 2014
Rabin Mondal was born in 1929 in Howrah, West Bengal, India.
In 2005, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Genocide II (1972), offered in the Indian and Southeast Asian Art: Including Modern Indian Paintings from The Wilberding Collection by Sotheby's, which concluded on 20 September 2005 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹28,98,060 ($66,000). 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.
The urban situation is very complex. Modernism implies a discarding of mythical structures, but the residual elements of myths still exist not only among religious but among intellectuals too. Social scientists have altered these to their taste and made them fashionable. To communicate your experience aesthetically you have to reverse the process of demythologization and to revitalize myths once more. Perhaps the human fear of disorder, chaos and the complexity of life can only be related through myths. In my work I try visually to relate myths to existential uprootedness and disruption, I do not work from any particular myth but the general mythical feelings about creation and destruction, sin and propitiation - eschatology. I am not only talking about the disorder that is set in motion by the misuse of political power, but also pointing out what the abuse of technology has inflicted on us.
Art is an expression of my innermost self. I portray emotions with my brush, oils, pencil, and charcoal. And before I can exercise it on the canvas, I am transported into another world. I gradually find my canvas coming alive.
On 16 May 2002, Rabin Mondal made their debut in the Indian public auction market when Untitled was presented as Lot 78 in Modern Indian Paintings , conducted by Saffronart in Online, India. This auction marked the artist's first recorded appearance in the public auction market, establishing the earliest chapter of their auction history.
In 2014, Kingdom of Exile A Rabin Mondal Retrospective marked a major milestone in the exhibition history of Rabin Mondal, offering a retrospective survey of the artist's artistic production
Economics of Art
Record-high lots4
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 Rabin Mondal’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.
1996
- Honoured as 'Eminent Painter' by the All Indian Fine Arts & Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi, India
2001
- Abanindra Puraskar, Kolkata, India
Research Centre
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