Zainul Abedin’s art breaks auction records, fetching over $600,000 at Sotheby’s

The legacy of Zainul Abedin, the revered Bangladeshi artist known as Shilpacharya, has just reached new heights in the international art market. A painting by the art maestro has fetched a record price of US $692,048, the highest for any Bangladeshi artist. 

At the "Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art" auction, organised by Sotheby's in London on Thursday (September 26), Abedin's painting "Untitled" was sold for US $692,048, or approximately Tk 8.27 crore. This marks the highest price ever paid for a Bangladeshi artwork at auction. 

The piece, described as 'ink and wash on paper', was gifted by Abedin to Cedomil Plazek, a hydrogeologist who lived in Dhaka while working for the United Nations. Signed and dated by the artist in 1970, the painting reflects Abedin's mastery and significance in the global art world.

Sotheby's, which was founded in London nearly 300 years ago and is now headquartered in New York, revealed that another of Abedin's works also garnered a record price at the auction. "Untitled (Group of Figures)", another gift to Plazek, sold for US $643,690—roughly Tk 7.69 crore. This oil-on-canvas painting, signed and dated 'Zainul 71', was executed in 1971.

According to Sotheby's, Plazek, who befriended Abedin while working on groundwater projects in Bangladesh, received both paintings as personal gifts. The deep connection between the two men and Abedin's generous spirit is reflected in these treasured pieces that have now found a place in art history through their record-breaking sales.

A third painting by Abedin, "Untitled (Figures)", sold for Us $289,663, or Tk 3.46 crore. This work, done in ink and pencil on paper, was signed and dated 'Zainul / 25/5/70 / Jordan' and reflects the artist's sensitivity to human forms and emotions, a recurring theme in his art.

A trail of record-breaking sales

These recent auction results follow a trend of Abedin's works steadily gaining recognition and value on the global stage. In March of this year, two of his paintings achieved record prices. One of these, "Untitled (Couple)", which depicts a Santal couple, was created in 1963 using oil on canvas and sold for Us $381,000, or around Tk 4.16 crore. Another, an "Untitled" painting of a woman at rest in a sky-blue saree and scarlet bangles, sold for Us $279,400, approximately Tk 3.05 crore.

Both paintings were part of the Jamsheed K Marker and Diana J Marker estate, a collection that brought to light some of Abedin's lesser-seen works. The Marker family, who were notable figures in diplomatic circles, owned these pieces for decades before they were brought to auction by Sotheby's.

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Zainul Abedin's artistic journey is emblematic of Bangladesh's cultural history, his works often reflecting the struggles and resilience of the people. He is particularly known for his depictions of the 1943 Bengal famine, and his "Famine Series" remains one of his most powerful and haunting contributions to South Asian art.

In early 2018, another of Abedin's works from the "Santal" series was sold at Christie's for Tk 1.5 crore, marking the beginning of a series of record-breaking sales for the artist.