Maqbool Fida Husain 1913-2011

A towering presence in the history of modern Indian art, M. F. Husain transformed the visual language of post-Independence India through a practice that was as expansive as it was innovative. Celebrated for his bold imagery, restless experimentation, and larger-than-life public persona, he remains one of the few Indian artists to achieve widespread recognition beyond the art world.

Born in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, in 1913, Husain spent his formative years in Indore before moving to Bombay in 1937 to pursue a career in art. Largely self-taught, he began by painting cinema hoardings and designing toys and furniture, experiences that shaped the confident lines and dramatic scale that would later define his work. As a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group, he played a pivotal role in forging a modern artistic identity for a newly independent nation.

Husain’s paintings drew from mythology, history, folk traditions, religion, literature, and contemporary culture, weaving them into a vibrant visual vocabulary rooted in India’s pluralistic heritage. Renowned for his iconic depictions of horses, Mother Teresa, and epic narratives, he consistently reimagined traditional subjects through a modernist lens. Beyond painting, he explored film, poetry, performance, and installation, earning international acclaim. Awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, Husain left behind a body of work that continues to shape the discourse of modern Indian art.