The art world is witnessing unprecedented excitement as a legendary piece by a renowned modern Indian painter has rewritten auction history. The iconic canvas titled ‘Rickshaw Puller’, created by Tyeb Mehta using acrylics in the year 2002, crossed a staggering 69.1 crore rupees during the inaugural auction held by a new platform named ‘Volte Una’. Known for vividly portraying the struggles and daily hardship of a common rickshaw puller through his brushstrokes, this masterpiece by the artist has surpassed all previous records set by his own works. This landmark sale goes beyond a simple transaction, serving as a powerful testament to the growing global prominence and demand for Indian art on the international stage.
Focus on the life and struggle of workers
During the final phase of his career, the characters that the painter frequently chose to depict on his canvas centered heavily around rickshaw pullers as his preferred subject. In this particular artwork, he captured the exhaustion, daily grind, and persistent struggle of a common laborer with such raw intensity that it immediately drew intense attention. This compelling portrayal drove prominent and discerning art collectors from across the globe to compete aggressively for the ownership of this remarkable piece.
Breaking previous milestones and future auctions
Expressing delight over this historic achievement, Volte Una founder Tushar Jivrajka stated that they felt immensely proud to present this exceptional artwork to collectors worldwide. This remarkable sale has comfortably eclipsed all prior benchmarks set by the artist's works. Prior to this event, his acclaimed painting ‘Trussed Bull’ had fetched 61.80 crore rupees in April 2025, a figure that the Rickshaw Puller has now successfully surpassed. The momentum in the art sector shows no signs of slowing down, as the upcoming auction scheduled for late November will feature another stellar masterpiece by M.F. Hussain originating from the well-known Horvitz Collection.
