Pala-era Vishnu sculpture sold for Rs 8.16 crore, over 9 times estimate
A rare 11th-century Pala-era blackstone sculpture of Vishnu sold at a Christie's auction in London for £635,000, significantly exceeding its initial estimate. The artifact, which depicts intricate religious iconography, was part of a private collection for over 50 years.
Why it matters
The high sale price reflects the growing global market value and cultural appreciation for historical South Asian antiquities.
A blackstone sculpture of Vishnu, carved in northeastern India during the Pala period around the 11th or 12th century, has sold for £635,000 at Christie’s auction house in London. The sculpture had previously appeared at a Christie’s auction in March 1973, when it was part of the collection of René Jaquerod of Zurich, Switzerland. The buyer acquired it at that sale and retained it for 53 years before it came to auction again in June 2026.According to the official website of Christie’s auction house, the sculpture realised more than nine times its high estimate at the June 11 sale, part of ‘Sublime Shadows: South Asian Art from a Distinguished Collection.’ Its sale price is equivalent to approximately Rs 8.16 crore. As per Christie’s, the work is a blackstone stele of Vishnu from northeastern India, dating to the 11th–12th century. It stands 41.5 inches, or 105.4 cm, high.
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