Health & Fitness
A painting sells for ₹100 crore. But how does that number actually happen?
In this conversation with Mallika Saagar, India’s top art auctioneer, we demystify the Indian art market from how artworks move from artists to galleries, to how they enter auctions, to what really happens when collectors start bidding against each other.
Mallika breaks down the difference between the primary and secondary art market, how auction houses work, what buyer’s premium means, why the hammer price is not the final price, and how terms like reserve price, provenance, rarity, medium, condition, and quality shape the value of Indian paintings.
The conversation also goes deeper into the psychology of auctions: why people overbid, why some collectors hide their bids, why bidding can become emotional, and why patience matters if you’re looking at art as an investment.
For anyone curious about Indian art, art auctions, collecting, luxury markets, or alternative asset classes, this episode is a sharp introduction to a world that is growing fast but still widely misunderstood.
This episode covers:
How artworks move from artists to galleries to collectors
What happens inside a live art auction
Primary market vs secondary market in art
Buyer’s premium, GST, hammer price, and hidden costs
Reserve price, estimates, and how bidding starts
How provenance, rarity, medium, and condition affect value
Why collectors sometimes overbid or hide their bids
The psychology, ego, and adrenaline behind auctions
Indian art as an investment and asset class
How India’s art market compares with global markets