A rare 1989 painting by Sheikh Mohammed Sultan, a pivotal figure in Bangladeshi modern art, achieved $50,800 at Christie’s New York—more than double its high estimate of $25,000. The sale set a new auction record for the artist, highlighting growing global interest in South Asian modernism.
The work, Untitled (Cultivation), was acquired by a South Asian institution. According to Nishad Avari, Christie’s Head of South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art, Sultan’s works seldom appear on the market, creating strong competition when they do.
Sultan’s previous record stood at $19,500, set earlier this year at Sotheby’s New York for an untitled 1990 painting depicting resting bulls. With only 14 auction results listed in the Artnet Price Database, his market remains limited but increasingly watched.
Born in 1923 in rural Bangladesh, Sultan (often referred to as S. M. Sultan) is celebrated for his monumental figural compositions that explore labor, the human body, and power. Though he briefly studied at Calcutta Art College, he later rejected colonial academic styles, forging a distinct visual language. His career took him across Europe and the U.S., where he exhibited alongside artists like Dalí, Matisse, and Picasso—yet his market has remained relatively underdeveloped until now.
This record-setting result underscores a rising international appetite for South Asian modern and contemporary art, as collectors and institutions increasingly look beyond traditional Western blue-chip names.
Sheikh Mohammed Sultan, Untitled (Cultivation) (1989)
All images courtesy of the artist and Christie’s.
