Somenath Hore 1921-2006

Few artists have explored the human condition with the emotional intensity and moral conviction of Somnath Hore. A pioneering printmaker, sculptor, and painter, Hore transformed personal and collective trauma into a profoundly expressive visual language, making suffering, resilience, and memory the enduring themes of his art.

Born in Chittagong (now in Bangladesh), Hore came of age during a period marked by political unrest, famine, and social upheaval. The Bengal Famine of 1943 and the Tebhaga peasant movement left an indelible impression on the young artist, shaping his lifelong commitment to portraying the struggles of ordinary people. After studying at the Government College of Art and Craft in Calcutta under Zainul Abedin and later learning printmaking from Saifuddin Ahmed, he developed exceptional mastery across drawing, printmaking, and sculpture.

Hore’s works are distinguished by their economy of line, textured surfaces, and haunting imagery of scarred, fragmented human forms. His celebrated Wounds series, executed in paper pulp and bronze, abandoned literal representation to evoke pain and loss through abstracted marks and ruptured surfaces. Alongside his artistic practice, Hore made lasting contributions as an educator, establishing the printmaking department at Delhi Polytechnic before leading the department at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan. Today, he is regarded as one of India’s greatest printmakers and a seminal figure in modern Indian art.