Tyeb Mehta’s Trussed Bull Sells for Rs 61.8 Crore at Saffronart Auction
The 1956 painting ties with Amrita Sher-Gil’s The Storyteller as second-most expensive Indian artwork ever sold
Tyeb Mehta’s iconic 1956 painting Trussed Bull has stormed into art history, selling for an astonishing Rs 61.8 crore at Saffronart’s 25th Anniversary Live Sale held in Mumbai on April 2. The sale has catapulted the artwork to second place on the list of most expensive Indian artworks ever sold, tying with Amrita Sher-Gil’s The Storyteller, which fetched the same amount in 2023.
An oil-on-canvas that encapsulates the pain and struggle central to Mehta’s artistic vision, Trussed Bull was hammered down at nearly nine times its higher estimate. Saffronart confirmed the record-setting sale via its official social media accounts, sharing the painting’s image and celebrating the moment.
The auction was part of a historic evening for Indian and South Asian art, with total sales reaching Rs 217.81 crore — the highest ever for a South Asian art auction. While Mehta’s work grabbed headlines, the spotlight remains on MF Husain’s Untitled (Gram Yatra), which still holds the top position, having sold for a staggering Rs 118 crore at Christie’s in New York last month.
Mehta’s Trussed Bull is more than just a visual masterpiece — it is a deep commentary on helplessness, power, and entrapment. The bound bull motif first entered Mehta’s consciousness in 1954 during a visit to the British Museum in London, where he encountered an Egyptian bas-relief of a trussed animal. It later became a recurring and emotionally charged symbol in his work.
This sale further cements Mehta’s legacy as a modern Indian master, whose visual language continues to speak powerfully across generations.