At a recent auction held by Sotheby's in London, two masterpieces by legendary Bangladeshi artist 'Shilpacharya' Zainul Abedin fetched record-breaking prices, marking the highest sale ever achieved by a Bangladeshi artist.
The auction, titled 'Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art,' took place on Thursday, September 26, and saw one of Abedin's "Untitled" paintings from his 'Monpura 70' series sold for a staggering 516,000 GBP ($692,048), equivalent to Tk 8.27 crore. This series was created following the devastating 1970 cyclone that ravaged Char Monpura, causing millions of deaths.
A second painting, also titled "Untitled (Group of Figures)," fetched $643,690 (Tk 7.69 crore), further solidifying Abedin’s position as a record-breaking artist in the international art market.
Both artworks were originally gifted by Zainul Abedin to Cedomil Plazek, a hydrogeologist who worked for the United Nations in Bangladesh. Plazek and Abedin developed a close friendship during Plazek’s time in Dhaka, where he was engaged in groundwater projects.
The ink-and-wash painting from 1970 measures 54.5 x 74.6 cm and is signed by Abedin, while the oil-on-canvas piece from 1971, depicting a group of figures, measures 68 x 153.8 cm. Both paintings carry Abedin's distinct artistic signature and historical significance.
In addition to these two record-setting pieces, another work by Abedin, titled "Untitled (Figures)," was sold at the same auction for $289,663 (Tk 3.46 crore).
Earlier this year, in March, Sotheby's New York also witnessed record sales for Abedin’s works, including his "Untitled (Santal Couple)" which sold for $381,000, and another "Untitled" piece from 1956-1963 that sold for $279,400.
