Stories of art, antiques and the cultures that shape them
Paintings, sculpture, antiques, artifacts and handicrafts: where they come from, what they mean, and how history, climate and culture shaped them.
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In the art world
12–15 Nov 2026
Art Mumbai returns for its fourth edition
The fair runs at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai, with talks and programmes through the weekend.
Until 22 Nov 2026
India’s Venice Biennale pavilion enters its final weeks
“Geographies of Distance: Remembering Home”, India’s first national pavilion in Venice in seven years, shows Alwar Balasubramaniam, Sumakshi Singh, Ranjani Shettar, Asim Waqif and Skarma Sonam Tashi at the Arsenale.
Sep 2026
Record price for Gond artist Jangarh Singh Shyam
An untitled painting by the late Gond artist sold at Pundole for a record ₹18 crore hammer price (about $2.15m with premium), a landmark for Indian tribal art.
Sep 2026
Saffronart’s autumn sales total ₹250.58 crore
F N Souza’s “Hanuman the Monkey God” (1965) was a top lot at ₹15.60 crore.
Apr 2026
Raja Ravi Varma sets the record for an Indian painting
“Yashoda and Krishna” sold for $17.9m with fees at Saffronart, Mumbai, overtaking M F Husain’s “Gram Yatra”.
4–7 Feb 2027
Save the date: India Art Fair, Delhi
The next edition of India’s biggest art fair is set for February 2027.
Latest stories
Kalighat Painting: The Vibrant Storytelling Art of Bengal
Kalighat painting, the bold folk art of 19th-century Kolkata: its Patua painters, gods and satire, signature style, decline and lasting…
India’s Timeless Heritage: Most Precious and Oldest Museums
A guide to nine of India’s oldest and most important museums, from the Indian Museum in Kolkata (1814) to the…
The Enchanting World of Krishna Art.
Krishna’s 16 kalas and 13 famous artworks of Krishna, from Laddu Gopal bronzes to Nathdwara paintings and Kalamkari textiles.
Evolution of Rakhi designs from Traditional to Trendy.
How rakhi designs have evolved from simple threads to designer, eco-friendly and digital versions, and the legends behind Raksha Bandhan.
Rediscovering the 9 un-sung art of India
A guide to nine lesser-known Indian folk and tribal art forms: Mandala, Warli, Pithora, Saura, Gond, Phad, Madhubani, Pattachitra and…
The Timeless Craft of Bone Carving Art in India
A guide to bone carving in India: its history, materials, techniques, regional centres such as Sambhal, Jaipur and Murshidabad, and…
Art and culture: how place shapes art
Art doesn’t appear out of nowhere. The clay, metal, colours and stories in a craft come from its land, its climate and its history. This series looks at that connection.
- Kalighat painting: how a temple neighbourhood in 19th-century Calcutta created a bold new style
- Dhokra: the 4,000-year-old lost-wax metal casting of India’s tribal communities
- Sohrai and Khovar: harvest and wedding wall art from Jharkhand
- GI tags: why a craft’s place of origin is protected by law
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Image credits: Paintings: “Kalighat Painting, 2003.124” by Cleveland Museum of Art (anonymous artist), CC0; Sculpture: “Stone carver at Sanoor” by Prabhu.sanoor, CC BY-SA 3.0; Antique: “Silver Rupee of Mughal Emperor Akbar” by SpeakingArch, CC BY-SA 4.0; Artifact: “A Dhokra figurine made by a Dharua tribe” by Government of Odisha, CC BY 4.0; Handicraft: “Channapatna toys artists” by KartikMistry, CC BY-SA 3.0; Collectible: “Four Mandala Vajravali Thangka” by Unknown artist, public domain (all via Wikimedia Commons).