Often referred to as the "Indian Frida Kahlo," Amrita Sher-Gil is one of India's greatest modern artists. Born in 1913 in Budapest to a Sikh father and a Hungarian mother, Sher-Gil's multicultural background had greatly influenced her very individualistic artistic vision.
Bringing together European techniques of art with Indian themes, she created an entire body of work that depicted the complexities of colonial India along with its overwhelming cultural richness. Her contribution to modern Indian art is quite profound in the way that she is credited with reshaping the landscape of Indian painting by bringing to the foreground a new and inclusive artistic narrative. This notwithstanding, her career was tragically cut short when she died prematurely in 1941; yet her legacy continues to inspire one generation of artists and art lovers after the other.
Amrita Sher-Gil’s paintings today are considered a treasure of the nation and are probably the most valuable in the Indian art market. Because of their historical and artistic value, Amrita Sher-Gil's paintings sell for many crores at an auction. For instance, in 2021, her painting called Village Scene broke a record and sold for ₹37 crore. Her paintings are the costliest among Indian artists. By nature, and because of their rarity, original works by Sher-Gil are quite inaccessible to private collectors and find life in strong galleries and museums.
Even with prices stickered to astronomical sums on her paintings, the work of Sher-Gil can still be viewed in some of India's most valuable public art collections. The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi has one of the most comprehensive collections of her paintings. Here, art lovers can see some of her best works: Self-Portrait, The Bride's Toilet, and Red Clay Village. The NGMA has really worked to make her work seen by all, be it the conventional exhibitions or virtual sites where digitised versions of her paintings can be viewed.
The Government Museum and Art Gallery in Chandigarh also has many Sher-Gil paintings. After the death of Sher-Gil at the age of 28, her family had donated many of her works to this museum. Indeed, one of the most important in India, it provides valuable insights into her Indian period, for it was then that she painted the most socially relevant and visually stunning works.
Sher-Gil's legacy also lives on in the digital archives and virtual museum tours, especially in the digital platform of Google Arts & Culture, which collaborated with major Indian museums to share her work to a larger audience. Through this digital platform, art lovers from all walks of life can then explore her pioneering work, which otherwise might be limited to those who wish to see her originals because of its proximity and expense.
Amrita Sher-Gil is one artist whose heritage embodies a bridge between cultures, continents, and centuries. Her representations of life in India are syntheses of Eastern and Western artistic traditions brought alive by her original and empathetic vision. And yet, despite paintings by the creator artist being some of the most expensive and most purchased pieces on the Indian art market, any initiative by institutions such as the NGMA and Chandigarh Museum ensures that the work of Amrita Sher-Gil remains in the public spotlight.
Sher-Gil's works are no less relevant to contemporary eyes. These works are purely aesthetically beautiful as well as represent something infinitely deeper than a comment on human existence. It matters most in the Indian context. She has left an indelible mark on Indian art and will continue to inspire and captivate for ages to come.
FAQs
-What is Amrita Sher-Gil's style of painting: She invented a new style of expression of her own
-Where is Amrita Sher-Gil from?: She was born in Budapest, Hungary
-Where did Amrita Sher-Gil study: Grande Chaumière École des Beaux-Arts
-Where can we view Amrita Sher-Gil's paintings?: Most of her work is available to view at the National Museum of Modern Art in Delhi
-How did Amrita Sher-Gil pass away?: Reasons for her death have been cited as medical issues
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