This September, some of the finest names in modern and contemporary Indian art will cross the block as the Saffron Autumn Auction 2026 opens its doors. Anchored by a rare Sohan Qadri canvas and rounded out by masterworks from Raza, Husain, Souza and more, this season’s sale is shaping up to be one to watch. The live auction takes place on 19 September 2026 in New Delhi, followed by an extended online sale running from 21 to 22 September 2026, giving collectors the chance to bid in person on opening night or participate remotely over the following two days.
Leading the bid at the auction is Mahadev Visvanath Dhurandhar’s Shri Mahalakshmi, painted in 1899 in oil on canvas pasted on board, measuring 59.75 x 27.25 in (152 x 69.5 cm). It is estimated between 12,00,00,000 and 18,00,00,000 INR.
F N Souza’s Christ in a Village, a 1958 oil on board work, measures 23.5 x 47.5 in (59.5 x 120.5 cm). It carries an estimate of 12,00,00,000 to 18,00,00,000 INR.
S H Raza’s untitled 1989 work is rendered in acrylic on canvas and measures 39.25 x 39.25 in (100 x 100 cm). It carries an estimate of 7,50,00,000 to 9,50,00,000 INR.
Madhvi Parekh’s Last Supper II, a monumental 2011 reverse painting on acrylic sheet, measures 72.75 x 244 in (185 x 620 cm). It is estimated at 3,00,00,000 to 5,00,00,000 INR.
M F Husain’s untitled 1958 oil on canvas measures 26.75 x 16.25 in (68 x 41 cm). It is estimated between 2,50,00,000 and 3,50,00,000 INR.
Gracing the cover is a rare canvas by Sohan Qadri, one of the most meditative voices in Indian modernism. The untitled work is executed in oil and encaustic on canvas, measures 39 x 39 in (99 x 99 cm), and carries an estimate of 2,00,00,000 to 3,00,00,000 INR.
Manjit Bawa’s untitled oil on canvas measures 21.5 x 19.5 in (54.5 x 49.5 cm). It carries an estimate of 1,50,00,000 to 2,50,00,000 INR.
K K Hebbar’s untitled 1988 oil on canvas measures 32 x 43 in (81.5 x 109.5 cm). It carries an estimate of 1,20,00,000 to 1,80,00,000 INR.
B Prabha’s untitled 1986 oil on canvas measures 33.75 x 60.25 in (86 x 153 cm). It is estimated at 60,00,000 to 80,00,000 INR.
Krishen Khanna’s untitled work, dated circa 1950s, is an oil on canvas measuring 26.5 x 34.5 in (67 x 87.5 cm). It is estimated at 20,00,000 to 30,00,000 INR.
Paramjit Singh’s untitled 2018 oil on canvas measures 23.5 x 35.75 in (60 x 91 cm). It carries an estimate of 15,00,000 to 20,00,000 INR.
Ganesh Pyne’s Untitled (Durga), a small but intricate 1991 watercolour, pen and ink on paper, measures 7.5 x 7 in (19 x 18 cm). It is estimated at 15,00,000 to 20,00,000 INR.
Satish Gujral’s untitled 2003 acrylic on canvas measures 17.25 x 17.25 in (44 x 44 cm). It carries an estimate of Rs 15,00,000 to 20,00,000.
Achuthan Kudallur’s untitled 1995 acrylic on canvas measures 67 x 45 in (170 x 114.5 cm). It carries an estimate of 12,00,000 to 18,00,000 INR.
N S Bendre’s untitled 1991 ink on paper work measures 29 x 22.75 in (73.5 x 57.5 cm). It is estimated between 12,00,000 and 18,00,000 INR.
A A Almelkar’s untitled oil on canvas measures 30 x 35.75 in (76.5 x 90.5 cm). It is estimated at 10,00,000 to 15,00,000 INR.
Ganesh Haloi’s untitled 2024 gouache on paper pasted on canvas, signed and dated in Bengali at lower right, measures 12.25 x 12.25 in (31 x 31 cm). It is estimated at Rs 8,00,000 to 12,00,000.
Manu Parekh’s Old Temples Near River, painted in 2004 in acrylic on canvas, measures 21.5 x 31.5 in (54.5 x 80 cm). It carries an estimate of 7,00,000 to 9,00,000 INR
With lots spanning the nineteenth-century realism of Dhurandhar, the raw expressionism of Souza, the meditative abstraction of Qadri, and vibrant contemporary practice from artists like Ganesh Haloi and Manu Parekh, the Saffron Autumn Auction 2026 offers something for seasoned collectors and new bidders alike. The blend of a marquee live evening in New Delhi followed by an extended online window makes the sale accessible to a wide range of participants. Whether you’re chasing the standout Qadri canvas or eyeing one of the more accessible entry-level lots, mark your calendar: 19 September for the live auction in New Delhi, and 21–22 September for the online sale.
