Amrita Sher-Gil, The Female Pioneer Of Modern Indian Art

Born in Budapest on January 30, 1913, to an Indian Sikh father, a photographer Umrao Singh Sher-Gil and a Hungarian mother, Amrita Sher-Gil was an unconventional woman and artist who left an important mark in the art history of the 20th century.

After studying painting in Europe, Amrita returned to India in early 1930s and flashed through the Indian artistic horizon like an incandescent meteor.

She traveled to South India and started portraying the daily life scenes she found along her tour, following what she called her artistic mission to depict the life of Indian people through her canvas.

Amrita had a performative yet playful way to incorporate various Indian attires as part of her identity and persona. She approached saris and other traditional clothing to reveal her charismatic and mysterious side.

Amrita died in December of 1941 when she was just 28 years old and days before opening her first major solo exhibition. Her life was short, but very prolific, as she left a huge body of work, now considered National Art Treasure in India.