Mumbai has long been the cultural capital of India, nurturing some of the greatest names in modern and contemporary art. From the Progressive Artists’ Group pioneers to globally celebrated contemporary creators, these artists have consistently dominated auctions, broken sales records, and shaped India’s art market.
highest-selling Mumbai-based Indian artists
Tyeb Mehta
Tyeb Mehta was one of India’s most influential modernist painters whose powerful, minimal forms transformed Indian art. He often worked with themes of violence, human suffering, diagonals, and the iconic bull motif. His masterpieces like Mahishasura (₹26.4 crore) and Untitled (Kali) (₹20 crore+) continue to dominate auction charts. Works such as Trussed Bull have also achieved multi-million-dollar valuations globally. His market demand remains exceptionally strong, with collectors worldwide competing for his rare pieces.
Francis Newton Souza
F.N. Souza, a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group, is known for his bold and rebellious expressionist style. He explored themes of religion, eroticism, distorted anatomy, and social critique through powerful lines and forms. His top-selling works include Birth (₹28.8 crore) and Six Gentlemen of Our Times, which set records for South Asian works on paper. Many of his early figurative and church-themed pieces continue to command premium prices in global auctions. Souza remains a cornerstone of the Indian modern art market with consistent high-value sales.
Jitish Kallat
Jitish Kallat is a leading Mumbai-based contemporary artist recognized for his urban, socio-political, and existential narratives. His work reflects themes of Mumbai city life, mortality, history, and public memory using mixed media, painting, and installation. Major pieces like Humiliation Tax – II have crossed the ₹1 crore mark at auctions. His large-scale works and biennale participations significantly boost his market visibility. Kallat remains one of the most influential Indian contemporary artists with steadily rising valuations.
Nalini Malani
Nalini Malani is a pioneering contemporary artist known for her radical feminist and politically engaged practice. Her themes draw from mythology, gender justice, conflict, and social history, expressed through reverse paintings, shadow plays, and multimedia installations. Works like Nursery Tales and other key reverse paintings have achieved prices in the ₹1–2 crore range. Her installations are also frequently acquired by museums and global collectors at high valuations. Malani’s international acclaim continues to strengthen her presence in top-tier auctions.
Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor is a globally renowned Mumbai-born sculptor whose monumental works have transformed contemporary public art. He explores themes of voids, reflection, perception, and the metaphysical through iconic concave mirrors and highly pigmented forms. His sculptures frequently sell for $1–2 million or more at major international auctions. Works featuring his signature red pigment or reflective mirror surfaces are especially sought after. Kapoor remains one of the highest-selling Indian contemporary artists internationally with sustained institutional interest.
Sudarshan Shetty
Sudarshan Shetty is a leading contemporary Mumbai-based artist celebrated for his conceptual and installation-based works. His themes focus on memory, mortality, identity, and the transient nature of existence. Shetty’s large-scale installations and sculptural pieces have achieved prices in the ₹50 lakh–₹1 crore+ range at auctions. He is frequently featured in major international exhibitions, including biennales and museum shows across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. His innovative use of materials and technology in art continues to attract global collectors and institutions.
Reena Saini Kallat
Reena Saini Kallat is a prominent contemporary artist from Mumbai known for her socially and politically engaged practice. Her themes explore borders, migration, memory, and the interplay between history and identity, often using innovative materials like electrical wires and organic matter. Kallat’s works have achieved high auction values, typically in the ₹50 lakh–₹1 crore+ range. She has exhibited widely at major museums and international art festivals, enhancing her global recognition. Her works remain highly sought after for both their conceptual depth and aesthetic innovation.
V.S. Gaitonde
V.S. Gaitonde was a legendary abstractionist whose meditative, minimalist style reshaped Indian modern art. His themes revolve around silence, spirituality, and pure abstraction expressed through subtle textures and color fields. His works command the highest auction prices in India, with an untitled 1995 painting selling for over ₹47.5 crore. Many of his early abstracts have also crossed the ₹20–30 crore mark globally. Gaitonde’s extreme rarity and museum-level significance make him one of the top-selling artists in Indian art history.
S.H. Raza
S.H. Raza is celebrated for his iconic Bindu compositions that blend Indian philosophy, energy fields, and geometric abstraction. His themes draw from spirituality, nature, color theory, and metaphysical symbolism. Works like Gestation sold for over ₹23 crore, while several Bindu canvases regularly achieve ₹10–20 crore in premium auctions. His late period abstracts are also highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Raza remains one of the most stable and high-performing names in the Indian art market.
Akbar Padamsee
Akbar Padamsee was a key modernist known for his intellectual approach to form, color, and space. His themes include Metascapes, monochrome studies, figurations, and photography-based explorations. Major works like Grey Figure and many Metascape canvases have achieved prices between ₹10–20 crore in top auctions. His early works and rare figurative pieces continue to appreciate significantly. Padamsee’s long career and deep cultural impact make him one of Mumbai’s most valuable modern artists.
M.F. Husain
M.F. Husain, often called India’s Picasso, was one of the most celebrated and commercially successful artists of the 20th century. His themes include mythology, horses, cinema, politics, and vibrant modern Indian life. Some of his most significant works have sold for over ₹118 crore (≈ $13.8 million), making them among the most expensive Indian artworks ever. Early works from the 1950s–60s and large narrative canvases consistently achieve top-tier prices. Husain remains a dominant force in both Indian and global modern art markets.
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