Sell Your Paintings in India

Used paintings in India typically sell for ₹2,550 to ₹38,500 (about $27 to $405). A painting is worth what can be established about who made it, so photograph the signature, the reverse and the stretcher — and never clean or revarnish it before selling.

What paintings are worth in India

Condition	Typical	What it means
New with Tags	₹38,500	Unused, tags or seals intact
Like New	₹32,700	Barely used, no visible wear
Good	₹25,000	Light signs of use, complete and working
Fair	₹17,300	Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part
For Parts	₹9,600	Not working or incomplete, sold as seen

Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.

What lifts the price

Signed original works with documented provenance
Canvases with no tears, flaking or overpainting

What pulls it down

Water staining and foxing on works on paper
Unsigned works with no attribution

Selling paintings in India

UPI has largely replaced cash for in-person handovers and is instant and traceable, which suits a private sale well. Cash on delivery is still widely expected for anything posted, and it is worth deciding your position on it before you list.

India’s second-hand market runs heavily through direct conversation — buyers expect to message, negotiate and ask questions before committing, and a listing that answers those questions up front sells noticeably faster than one that does not.

Negotiation is normal and expected rather than a sign of a difficult buyer. Price with a little room in it and say whether the price is firm.

Working out what yours is worth

Photograph the signature, the back and any labels
Search auction results for the artist’s name

Getting it ready

Photograph the reverse before anything else. Labels, stamps, inscriptions and gallery marks on the back are often where attribution comes from.
Look for a signature and any date, including in the corners and along the edges under the frame rebate.

Photograph

The signature close up, legible
The surface raked with side light to show texture, craquelure, and any damage or repair

Put in the description

Medium and support — oil on canvas, watercolour on paper, acrylic on board
Dimensions of the work, and separately with the frame

Collection is far safer for anything sizeable or framed. If posting, use corner protectors, a rigid double-walled box and a face-protecting board, and never let bubble wrap touch the paint surface directly.

Steady year round to a collector and decorator audience. Signed work by identifiable artists sells fastest; unattributed decorative paintings compete on subject, size and frame.

It costs nothing to list

There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the ₹38,500 a buyer pays is the ₹38,500 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.

Where in India

India is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of India with their own page for paintings.

Common questions

Where can I sell paintings in India?

List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. UPI has largely replaced cash for in-person handovers and is instant and traceable, which suits a private sale well. Cash on delivery is still widely expected for anything posted, and it is worth deciding your position on it before you list.

Has it been restored?

Disclose anything you know about, including relining, retouching or revarnishing. Restoration is normal on older work and buyers accept it — concealed restoration is what causes disputes.

How do I tell an original painting from a print?

Look at the surface under magnification. Prints show a regular dot pattern; originals show brushwork and texture.

Does the frame add value?

Sometimes considerably, particularly period frames. Photograph it separately, since it may be valued in its own right.

More: how to sell paintings, what paintings are worth, or Art & Collectables across India.