Amrita Sher-Gil

Pioneering modern Indian artist who revolutionized 20th-century Indian art

Amrita Sher-Gil (1913–1941), often called India's Frida Kahlo, blended European techniques with Indian themes to create a unique visual language. Born to a Sikh aristocrat and Hungarian opera singer, her multicultural upbringing shaped an artistic perspective that bridged Eastern and Western aesthetics.

Her seminal work Young Girls (1932) won recognition at Paris Salon, but she later rejected Western acclaim to document rural India. The iconic Three Women trilogy and Bride's Toilet depicted marginalized communities through bold colors and emotional depth, challenging colonial-era art norms.

Sher-Gil's legacy survives through 172 catalogued works, influencing modern Indian artists like Arpita Singh. Tragically dying at 28, she left unfinished the radical Hungarian Village Market series that previewed abstract tendencies.