Not all paintings in the world are being sold in crores. But there’s one particular painting titled A Family of Cheetahs in a Rocky Landscape that was sold for nearly Rs 120 crore in London. It created a stir in the world of painting and made headlines. This is the painting attributed to Basawan, one of the most prominent painters associated with Akbar’s court.Back in 1575–80, when Mughal emperor Akbar was building one of the most influential courts in Indian history, Basawan created an extraordinary painting of a family of cheetahs. The painting which was made nearly 450 years ago has survived and has seen several empires rise and fall. It witnessed the ever-changing artistic tastes and centuries of collecting.In October 2025, the painting made headlines when it was sold at Christie’s in London for £10.245 million (₹119 crore at the time).What’s so interesting about the painting
Different view of the same painting
If you look at the painting, it doesn’t look like a grand royal portrait. The painting’s beauty lies in its remarkably detailed study of animals in their natural surroundings. Yet this intimate glimpse into the wildlife of Mughal India became one of the most valuable paintings of its kind ever sold at auction.According to Christie’s, the sale also set a world auction record for a Classical Indian or Islamic painting. What makes the story particularly fascinating is that the artwork’s importance extends far beyond its extraordinary price, offering a glimpse into the artistic imagination. It shows the royal interests of sixteenth-century India.The painting belongs to a flourishing period of Mughal art. Akbar was an artist who supported a flourishing royal workshop where Indian and Persian artistic traditions came together. Painters working under imperial patronage developed a distinctive style and created masterpieces worth remembering.Who was Basawan?Basawan was a leading artist from the Akbar period. His work is largely associated with innovation and expressive figures. The cheetah painting, dated to approximately 1575–80, is attributed to him rather than being definitively signed by the artist.What makes this painting unique is its subject. Rather than depicting any royal figure or a scene from a religious book, it focuses on animals in their natural habitat. The composition brings together art and observation.When art became a record
The young Akbar’s court at the age of 13 (PC:The Art Institute of Chicago)
The Mughal fascination with animals was not just decorative. Hunting, falconry and the keeping of exotic animals were part of courtly life. Akbar and other Mughal emperors maintained elaborate courts in which artists recorded people, events, landscapes, plants and animals. Under Akbar’s successor Jahangir, naturalistic painting became prominent, with artists producing remarkably detailed studies of birds and animals.Against this background, a family of cheetahs is an evocative subject. The painting does not simply use an animal as a symbol of royal power; it presents a glimpse of wildlife as a subject worthy of close artistic attention.From a royal-era painting to a private collectionThe artwork went on to become part of the personal collection of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and Princess Catherine Aga Khan. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan (1933–2003) was a diplomat and philanthropist who served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1965 to 1977. He was also a collector of unique artwork. The couple acquired much of their collection between the 1960s and the 1980s. Many of the paintings they selected were later studied and published by scholars. They were also put you display.The collection was displayed at Château de Bellerive, their home on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The cheetah painting was among 95 works offered at Christie’s London auction on October 28, 2025.
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How a painting estimated at ₹8 crore sold for nearly ₹120 croreBefore the auction, Christie’s estimated the cheetah painting at £700,000 to £1 million. Its eventual sale price of £10,245,000, including the buyer’s premium, was approximately 14 times more than its estimate.The result was also the highlight of the wider auction, which totalled £45.76 million, six times its pre-sale estimate. Every lot sold, with bidders registered across 20 countries and four continents, according to Christie’s.
