A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, painted by British artist Clare Leighton in 1931, will be auctioned in London between July 7 and 15, 2025. This artwork is considered the only oil portrait for which Gandhi personally posed.
The painting depicts Gandhi in his characteristic glasses and mustache, wearing his shawl and dhoti, in ochre tones against a silvery-gray background. Leighton met Gandhi during his visit to London in 1931 for the Second Round Table Conference.
The portrait remained in Leighton's personal collection until her death in 1989. The painting was restored in 1974 after an alleged attack by a right-wing Hindu nationalist group. The auction, held online by Bonhams, has estimated the painting's value between £50,000 and £70,000.