Goan artist Francis Newton Souza’s landscape ‘Houses of Hampstead’ sets new auction record in UK

Goan artist Francis Newton Souza has set a new art world auction record with his landscape ‘Houses in Hampstead’ fetching over USD 7.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction in London, nearly seven times its guide price.

The ‘Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art’ auction on Tuesday also saw a second painting by the founding member of the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group go under the hammer for five times the estimated price, as ‘Emperor’ sold for USD 6.9 million.

In all, five of his works that were in the sale this week fetched a total of over USD 14.6 million, with the overall auction total that also included artists Vasudeo Gaitonde, M.F. Husain, Syed Haider Raza, Ganesh Pyne, Jagdish Swaminathan and Narayan Shridhar Bendre, fetching USD 25.5 million.

“Our ‘Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art’ sale in London ranks among the highest-value auctions in this category in recent years – and marks the department’s highest total in its 30-year history, surpassing the previous record set in March,” said Manjari Sihare-Sutin, Co-Worldwide Head of the sale at Sotheby’s.

“It was thrilling to see seven new world auction records achieved, including twice over for Francis Newton Souza,” she said.

Husain’s ‘Chittore Fort’ was the standout work among his six paintings at the auction, selling for USD 1.3 million at nearly three times the guide price. While Gaitonde’s auction debut fetched USD 646,901, Ganesh Pyne also set a new record with his work ‘The Dream Conversation’, going under the hammer for USD 851,186.

Sotheby’s said the works in this week’s sale showcased the vitality and diversity of South Asian art, representing a wide spectrum of geographies, mediums and themes, and affirming the significance of the region’s artistic achievements. The auction house said the “curated group of exceptional works” encapsulates the artistic talent and aesthetic quality from across the region.

A bilateral India-US agreement on cultural property, leading to some import restrictions, was also flagged to buyers ahead of the auction.

“As of July 28, 2025, certain categories of archaeological and ethnological material originating from India may be subject to US import restrictions... Buyers are advised to make their own inquiries and obtain independent advice to determine whether these requirements apply to a given lot before bidding,” reads the auction note.