Amrita Sher-Gil
INDIAN MODERN ARTIST
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- Born in 1913, Budapest, Hungary
- Died 1941, Lahore, British India (present day Pakistan)
- Lived and worked in Paris, France and later in Amritsar and Shimla in India and Lahore, now in Pakistan
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UNDERSTANDING THE ARTIST
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Merging of European traditions with ancient Indian art her representation of Indian women expresses a deep-felt empathy - Amrita Sher-Gil painted the inner world of women like few other Indian painters had, depicting them in countless moods and forms.
Having mastered the western oil painting technique, her depiction of rural life and people took a warmer, earthier tone. Sher-Gil had a special fascination for the colour red that is evident as it stands out against the dark tones of her background or is often contrasted with green and white. An exceptional use of white always marks Amrita's paintings. Role-playing with different attires and poses - from a bold nude to that of a demure sari clad woman – plays a major role in her paintings. In a few of her portraits, she flaunts a blunt haircut while in others she has strands on her forehead, dressed as a devdasi - whom she describes as "prostitutes of gods". This artistic agenda for her in role-playing would make her a forerunner as a performance artist.
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SELECTED IMAGES
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Amrita Sher-Gil, Self Portrait, 1933, oil on canvas 18X13 in
Amrita Sher-Gil, Self-Portrait (7), 1930, oil on canvas, 18.66 x 27.6 in
Amrita Sher-Gil, Srinagar, 1940, oil on canvas
Amrita Sher-Gil, Untitled (Zebegény Landscape), 1931, oil on board 24 x 16 in
Amrita Sher-Gil, untitled, 1936
Amrita Sher-Gil, Village Scene, 1938, oil on canvas
Amrita Sher-Gil, Woman at Bath, 1940, oil on canvas, 27.5 x 36.22 in
Amrita Sher-Gil, Woman on Charpai, 1940, oil on canvas, 33.46 x 28.5 in
Amrita Sher-Gil, Woman on Terrace, 1935, oil on canvas, 99 x 73.6 cm
Amrita Sher-Gil, Young Girls, 1932, oil on canvas, 52.36 x 64.5 in