A rare painting by Indian modernist Krishna Kanwal (1910–1993) sold for £152,800 ($207,573) at Bonhams London on June 5, setting a new auction record for the artist. Titled *Portrait of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at His Enthronement*, the work came from the collection of British diplomat Sir Basil Gould and depicts the 1940 enthronement ceremony of the four-year-old Dalai Lama. The sale also included a group of 40 watercolors by Kanwal that fetched £457,600, and the 49-lot dedicated sale of Gould's collection achieved £951,770 with a 96% sell-through rate.
The record price underscores growing market recognition for Kanwal, a pioneer of Indian modernism who was one of the first artists to document daily life in Tibet. The painting's historical significance—capturing a pivotal moment in Tibetan Buddhist history—combined with its provenance from a British diplomat's collection, drove strong bidding. The sale also highlights sustained collector interest in rare, historically charged works from South Asian modernists, as well as the premium placed on material tied to the Dalai Lama and Tibetan culture.