Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Amrita Sher-Gil

Role / Field:

Pioneering Hungarian-Indian painter celebrated for modernizing Indian art.

Born:

1913-01-30

Died:

1941-12-05

Century / Era:

1913s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Amrita Sher-Gil (30 January 1913 – 5 December 1941) was a Hungarian–Indian painter. She has been called "one of the greatest avant-garde women artists of the early 20th century" and a pioneer in modern Indian art. Drawn to painting from an early age, Sher-Gil started formal lessons at the age of eight. She first gained recognition at the age of 19, for her 1932 oil painting Young Girls.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Sher-Gil depicted everyday life of the people in her paintings. Sher-Gil travelled throughout her life to various countries including Turkey, France, and India, deriving heavily from precolonial Indian art styles as well as contemporary culture. Sher-Gil is considered an important painter of 20th-century India, whose legacy stands on a level with that of the pioneers from the Bengal Renaissance. She was also an avid reader and a pianist. Sher-Gil's paintings are among the most expensive by Indian women painters today, although few acknowledged her work when she was alive.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Amrita Sher-Gil was born Dalma-Amrita on 30 January 1913, at 4 Szilágyi Dezső square, Budapest, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Her father was Umrao Singh Sher-Gil Majithia, a Punjabi Indian...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert Camus — Contemporary (Born in 1913) (1913): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Albert Ellis — Contemporary (Born in 1913) (1913): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Alfred Russel Wallace — Contemporary (Died in 1913) (1913): Naturalist and explorer who independently conceived the theory of evolution.
• Adam Kuper — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Influential British social anthropologist known for research in Southern Africa.
• Adnan Khayr Allah — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iraqi military officer and Minister of Defense, closely associated with the Ba'ath regime.
• Alan Mullery — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iconic English footballer and manager known for his time at Fulham and Spurs.
• Akira Yoshino — Shared historical date (01-30 · Born) (1948): Pioneering chemist credited with the first safe, production-viable lithium-ion battery.
• Barbara W. Tuchman — Shared historical date (01-30 · Born) (1912): Influential American historian known for vivid accounts of pivotal moments in world history.
• Abanindranath Tagore — Shared historical date (12-05 · Died) (1951): Pioneering figure of the Bengal School, modernizing Indian art against Western influence.
• Adolph Caesar — Shared historical date (12-05 · Born) (1933): Acclaimed American actor known for his deep voice and Off-Broadway staple status.
• 1913 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1913
• January 30 (01-30) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 30
• 1941 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1941
• December 5 (12-05) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 5

Frequently Asked Questions about Amrita Sher-Gil