New Delhi, Aug. 18 -- India's art auction market is increasingly becoming a story of price rather than volume. After turnover jumped 87% to Rs.3,040.65 crore in 2025, the market has extended that run this year, with collectors continuing to bid up a small pool of coveted modern masters even as the number of lots sold barely changed.

Modern art sales rose 43.7% year-on-year to Rs.1,548 crore in the six months through June, accounting for nearly three-fourths of the market, per Asign.art's Asign Data Sciences Indian Auction Art Market report for January-June 2026, accessed exclusively by Mint.







Collectors are still chasing a handful of masters. M.F. Husain led with Rs.253 crore in sales, followed by Ganesh Pyne at Rs.187 crore, F.N. ...