Portrait of a Parsi Gentleman

The provenance of Pestonjee Bomanjee’s Untitled (Portrait of a Parsi Gentleman) provides valuable insight into the painting's passage through the art market and its continued recognition as an important example of Indian academic realism. This painting was painted in 1924, at the end of Bomanjee’s career, when he had already established himself as one of India's leading portrait painters. Although the identity of the original owner has not been publicly documented, it is believed that the portrait remained in private hands for many years after its creation. The first publicly recorded provenance was at the Ossian Auction House in Mumbai, where the painting was put up for sale as the second lot on January 19, 2008. Osian's is one of India's leading auction houses specializing in Indian art, and the inclusion of this painting in its catalog reflects its artistic and historical significance. Following this auction, the painting was purchased by a private collector. During this period, the work was outside the collections of public museums, but remained part of a private art collection, thus preserving its excellent condition and historical value. The work was then sold by Christie's, one of the world's most famous auction houses, and re-entered the international art market. This work was exhibited as Lot 219 at the South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art Auction held in New York on March 25, 2026. Christie's included the known history of its ownership, recording the painting as an oil on canvas created in 1924 and linking it to Ossian's previous sale. The auction renewed interest in Bomanjee’s work among scholars and collectors, underscoring the enduring appreciation of his realistic portraiture among audiences around the world. After the painting was sold at Christie's, it entered another private collection, where it remains today. Although no longer housed in a public museum, a documented auction history clearly establishes its provenance. The painting's passage from private ownership to a major auction house and then back to a private collection reflects its importance in Indian art history and attests to Pestonjee Bomanjee’s enduring legacy as one of the pioneers of academic portraiture in India.