Tyeb Mehta’s Falling Bull sold for Rs 15 crore to a New-York based bidder at the second Christie’s auction in India, held at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace on Thursday. One of Mehta’s most iconic works, Falling Bull shows his recurring motif, an enraged bull against a rickshaw. After adding the buyer’s premium, the total price came up to Rs 17.54 crore. The auction held in the Crystal Room of the Taj Palace was attended by 110 bidders, who were joined by another 115 over the internet and phone. Following Mehta’s Falling Bull, the second highest bid was for Francis Newton Souza’s Untitled (Indian family), which sold for Rs 7.5 crore. The third highest bid went to V S Gaitonde for his Untitled, which fetched Rs 5 crore. Last year, during Christie’s first auction in India, another artwork by Gaitonde named Untitled sold for Rs 23.7 crore. Sonal Singh Head of Department of South Asian Art at Christie’s Mumbai, said: “Last year we received a bulk collection from one collector, while this year we had to pick and choose. So considering this, we’ve met the expected estimate.”
