Famous painters of India
Let’s meet some famous painters of India which made their art famous globally
India and art have a great relation be it the cave art and frescoes of Ajanta and Ellora or the Bhimbetka rock shelters of Madhya Pradesh. In fact, medieval India saw the rise of painters and they continued to flourish until the end of the British Empire. Soon, artists underwent a change in the 19th and 20th century and some of the painters laid a firm foundation with their talent on which India stands proudly now.
Raja Ravi Varma
Known as the “Father of Indian Modern Art'', he was the first painter who led Indian art on the global platform. During the period 1870 – 1878, he was known for portraits of elitists and British officials, including an illustrious exhibition in Vienna. His creation ‘Radha in the Moonlight’ was sold for Rs 24 crore at an auction. He won accolades for his artwork on religious topics.
Amrita Sher-Gil
One of the pioneers of modern art, Amrita Sher-Gil was the first woman artist (and only Asian artist till date) to win a gold medal in the Associate of the Grand Salon in Paris. In 1932, she painted her finest creations named ‘Young Girls’. She died at a young age of 28 but her legacy of artwork impacted by realism and people living in her community make her one of the illustrious women artists of the 20th century.
Tyeb Mehta
Famous Indian painters of today are inspired by Tyeb’s work and he was rightly known as the Bacon of India. As a young chap, he saw a man in Bombay being stoned to death by a mob and his paintings showed the disaster in a bold way. This Padma Bhushan awardee Mehta is famous for ‘Mahisasura’, his painting that was sold at Christie's for INR 11 crore in 2005.
Francis Newton Souza
One of the co-founders of the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group, FN Souza is one of the few Indian artists who were influential in the European art community. He developed some of the best modern abstract work of the 20th century. His painting ‘Birth’, was sold for INR 11.3 crores at Christie’s in 2008.
M.F.Husain
He is nonetheless ‘The Godfather of Contemporary Indian Art’ and who you think of famous Indian painters, Maqbool Fida Husain comes to everyone’s mind. He poured out his inner visions on canvas and his ‘Ganga and Jamuna’ got him INR 11.5 crore in Christie’s auction. With his bold and vivacious personality, he will always be remembered for his work.
