A painting by Vadodara’s renowned Padma Shri award-winning artist Bhupen Khakhar was sold for ₹14.4 crore in an auction held in Mumbai last week, according to sources.

Bhupen Khakhar had given this painting to an architect of Vadodara as a birthday gift. This painting was with an architect since 1996 and recently his son gave the painting up for auction.

In this oil painting on canvas, Bhupen Khakhar depicted the heritage of Champaner, showcasing the historical value of the place. Champaner has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The base price of this artwork was kept at ₹6-8 crore by the auction house. Finally, it was sold for ₹ 14.4 crore.

Who is Bhupen Khakhar?

Born in 1934, Bhupen Khakhar never took any training for painting from anyone. In 1962, he came to Vadodara from Mumbai and stayed there for the rest of his life. He often visited the Fine Arts Faculty of the MS University.

He depicted the struggle of the common man in most of his paintings. In 1984, Bhupen Khakhar was awarded the Padma Shri and in 2000, he also received the prestigious Prince Claus Award of the Netherlands.

He passed away at the age of 69 in Vadodara in 2003.

Earlier, his painting ‘Banyan Tree’ was sold for ₹18.81 crore in an auction at the International Auction House.

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