Abanindranath Tagore
Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) was the first person to take people’s attention to Swedesi values in art. He talked about how our art was inspired by British art and its values. He established the Bengal school of art. His main aim to establish the school was to bring artists out of English influence. His ideas formed the modern Indian painting which we all love now.
Tagore painted some paintings which only revived the actual scenes in the imagination of the people. He was an artist who was not afraid to put different ideas in people’s minds. He gave people an entirely different version of the queen and goddesses. Here are some of his major works.
- Bharat Mata
- Ganesh Janani
- Passing of Shah Jahan
- Ashoka’s Queen
- Journey’s End
Jamini Roy
Jamini Roy (1887-1972) was awarded for Padma Bhushan in 1954 for her great contribution to art. Jamini was born in an art-loving middle-class family that influenced his career as an artist. He joined the Government College of Art in Kolkatta when he was only 16. He was taught art which was already based on English morals and values. After receiving his diploma he realized he needed to inspire himself using Indian tradition and culture.
- Ramayana
- Bride and two Companions
- Mother and Child
- Gopini
- Lady in a Pink Sari
Amrita Sher-Gil
Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941) was born to an Indian father and a Hungarian mother. She was highly inspired by Anjanta Caves found in western India. Amrita Sher Gil tried to paint them on canvas using tactics she learned in Paris. She called Abinandranath’s school of art stagnation. She thought it was going backward rather than moving forward. Her tour to south India in 1937 inspired her later work. Her last work which was left incomplete was considered moving towards abstraction. It had richer colors compared to the ones found in her previous works.
- Bride’s Toilet
- Three Girls
- Haldi Grinders
- Woman on Charpai
- Mother India
M. F. Husain
M.F. Husain (1915-2011) is famous for his bold and vibrant colored paintings. Husain started his painting career as a billboard painting artist for Bollywood. His first serious work was exhibited in 1947 by the Bombay Art Society. Husain’s work was not only one type. He could paint the funniest picture and as well as the most serious one. His work followed in series. Husain was criticized for not handling sensitive topics well. He painted several nudes of Hindu goddesses. Bharatmata and Mother Teresa is his best-known work.
- Living Goddess
- The Lost Princesses
- Mother Teresa
- Wooden Toy
- Bharatmata
Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) is considered an important part of the history of Indian art. In his work society has seen a combination of European and Indian techniques. He combines the two with a purely Indian sensibility. He was also praised to make his painting lithography available to the general public. His lithographies made him reach a big amount of audience and made him popular.
- There Comes Papa
- Shakuntala
- Decking the Bride
- Indian Girl After Bath
- Lady with a Fruit
