Amrita Sher-Gil

Amrita Sher-Gil was a Hungarian-Indian artist who pioneered the modern Indian art movement in the first half of the 20th century. Her artistic abilities were prominent from an early age; she studied with Lucien Simon at the prestigious École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She then traveled extensively, to Turkey, France, and India, where she witnessed distinct styles and accumulated inspiration. Although she saw little recognition during her lifetime, her works are now highly coveted—and very expensive. While most depictions of women in Indian art portrayed simplistic, happy, obedient wives and mothers, Sher-Gil’s figures, with their solemn expressions and alienated positions, championed a more complex view of women.