Amritsar sisters posed for painter amritas three girls. The book draws on the primary text of these letters to open up a visual narrative around the artists oeuvre, complemented by a parallel text of notes that. As the first world war had broken out, it became impossible for the shergil family to return to india. In her family estate at saraya, she painted the group of three girls, 1935, in bright clothes with melancholic expressions, who in spite of sitting in close proximity to each other appear isolated. Mar 07, 2017 amrita shergil is often known as indias frida kahlo. Did the ajanta caves and gauguin influence amritas works. Her parents first met in 1912, while marie antoinette was visiting lahore. Amrita shergil biography called indias frida kahlo, amrita shergil was a female painter who played an important role in 20th century india. Apr 28, 2017 the dramatic death of amrita sher gil recalling the separate economic conditions of the hindus and the muslims during the 1947 partition of india, my mother describes it all with a punjabi saying which translates to.
Born to an indian punjabi father, amrita was by no means a typical indian woman. For this book in two volumes, amritas extant letters and writings are translated and reproduced from the originals, and. It was january 30th, 19, and the bell from the near by church tolled the hour of noon. Amrita shergil biography paintings, artworks, achievements. Beautiful and brilliant, she lived life on her own terms, scandalizing the staid society of her times with her love affairs and unconventional ways. The format and content of this book is very similar to the 1984 biography amrita shergil a biography. Amrita shergil 191941 was born in budapest of a sikh father and a hungarian mother. Her mother was a hungarian and amrita was born in budapest. The dramatic death of amrita shergil writers block tgh.
Unlike the 1984 biography, amrita shergil a biography, the author of this book never met amrita. Amrita shergil 30 january 19 5 december 1941 was an renowned hungarianindian painter, she has been called one of the greatest innovative women artists of the early 20th century and a pioneer in modern indian art drawn towards painting since a young age, shergil started getting formal lessons in the art, at the age of eight. Born to a hungarianjewish opera singer and a persian and sanskrit scholar, amrita sher gil grew up in a home which appreciated the arts and education. It was a cold snowy sunday morning in the hungarian capital of budapest when amrita came into the world. For this book in two volumes, amrita s extant letters and writings are translated and reproduced from the originals in their entirety. Legendary painter amrita sher gil 1941, whose selfportrait sold for a whopping rs 18. Amrita shergils 1938 painting village scene, was the highest price.
Amrita shergil was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary. Amrita shergils life was as filled with passion and colour as her canvasses. Check this page out to know her biographyage, husband, death, family, and more. Amrita shergil, painter who was one of the pioneers of the modern movement in indian art. This book is based on interviews, documents, and photos provided by amrita s friends and exhusband, victor egan.
Amrita shergil january 30, 19 december 5, 1941, was an eminent indian painter, sometimes known as indias frida kahlo, and today considered an important women painter of 20th century india, whose legacy stands at par with that of the masters of en. Amrita shergil was born on 30th january, 19 in budapest, hungary. In woman resting on a charpoy, 1940, she reflects the private feminine. Amrita shergil 191941, often recognised as indias frida kahlo, is one of the nations most celebrated female modern artists. The countrys first woman painter ever, her legacy is unparalleled in indian arthistory. Amrita shergil had a gift for languages like her father, umrao singh shergil who was a scholar of several languages even though he never learned hungarian and acquired the ability to express herself creatively in hungarian, english, and french at an early age. The majority of works by amrita sher gil in the public domain are with the ngma, which houses over 100 paintings by this meteoric artist.
Apr 04, 2006 unlike the 1984 biography, amrita sher gil a biography, the author of this book never met amrita. Born in 19 in budapest, to a hungarian mother and a sikh father, amrita spent her early years in hungary. She had a precocious talent for painting that was noticed early, and she was encouraged in her pursuit by her uncle, ervin baktay, an indologist. Amrita shergil was an eminent hungarianindian painter who is considered one of the greatest avantgarde women of the 20th century and a pioneer in modern indian art. A member of the shergil family, vivan sundaram has been engaged with the shergil project for over thirty years as artist, curator, editor, archivist. Amrita shergil 191941, part indian sikh, part austrohungarian catholic, is easily the most celebrated of early indian modernists, as much for her vivacious persona and her long list of sexual conquests cutting across genders as for her passionately painted postimpressionist canvases that are yet to be seriously evaluated sans the smokescreen of her elite ancestry and colourful lifestyle. Sher gil was born of an indian father and a hungarian mother. Amrita shergil biography childhood, life achievements. Because of her life and work, she is sometimes known as indias frida kahlo. Born to a hungarianjewish opera singer and a persian and sanskrit scholar, amrita shergil grew up in a home which appreciated the arts and education.
Amrita shergil simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Amrita, shergil, paintings, works, photos, biography, books. Amrita sher gil was born on 30th january, 19 in budapest, hungary. Sixtyfive years after her sudden and shocking death at the age of 29, amrita shergil, the passion child of. Amrita shergil 30 january 19 5 december 1941 was an renowned hungarianindian painter, she has been called one of the greatest innovative women artists of the early 20th century and a pioneer in modern indian art. Amrita shergil continues to fascinate and engage peoples curiosity decades after her untimely death in 1941. It is clear that this painting belongs to a transitional phase in her work. This is a revealing biography of amrita sher gil, who has remained a symbol of modern indian art since the early twentieth century. See more ideas about amrita sher gil, art and indian art. Amrita shergil is often known as indias frida kahlo. Find more prominent pieces of nude painting nu at best visual art. Born in 19 in budapest, to a hungarian mother and a sikh father, amrita spent her early years in hungary, india, as well as france, where she studied at the.
Amrita sher gil was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary, to umrao singh sher gil majithia, a sikh aristocrat and a scholar in sanskrit and persian, and marie antoniette gottesmann, a hungarianjewish opera singer who came from an affluent bourgeois family. Find more prominent pieces of nude painting nu at best visual art database. This site is to honour amrita shergil, a most talented painter committed to both europe and india, a fabulous woman with a soringly. Petra power looks at one of the most gifted artists of the precolonial era. The year tagore took to painting in his private study in shantiniketan, the daughter of a sikh aristocrat, the beautiful sixteenyear old amrita shergil 1941, sailed with her hungarian mother to france to study art in paris, first at the grande chaumiere under pierre vaillant and subsequently at the ecole des beauxarts, where she was taught. The format and content of this book is very similar to the 1984 biography amrita shergil. Amrita shergil painted this scene in 1938 before she left for her last visit to hungary. This book is based on interviews, documents, and photos. Amrita shergil 30 january 19 5 december 1941 was an eminent hungarianindian. Check this page out to know her biography age, husband, death, family, and more.
The book includes prints of her works, followed by a critical essay by geeta kapur discussing the way in which shergils subject matter and her attitude towards it changed. About the book unacknowledged during her life and considered an icon post he death, between these polarities lies the journey and the struggle for expression of one of the most enterprising and innovative artists of our times, amrita shergil 191941. Book beginning with a biography of amrita shergil, including many pictures of her and her family, personal quotes, diary entries, and early drawings and paintings. She first gained recognition at the age of 19, for. Jan 18, 2016 amrita shergil taking centre stage in her fathers photography has her immortalized posthumously, and unusuallyas a reflection of the eccentricities amidst which she was raised, and not just a lone rebel in the wind. Her parents were supportive of her artistic talents, and her formal artistic education began at an early age. Her father, umrao singh sher gil majithia, was a persian and sanskrit scholar, while her mother, marie antoniette gottesmann, was a hungarian singer. Drawn towards painting since a young age, shergil started getting formal lessons in the art, at the age of eight.
The shergil family, a painting made in 198384,and the shergil archive, an installation made in 1995, are precursors to his retake ofamrita, a series of digital photomontages made in 2001. Heavily influenced by realism, shergil strived to portray the lives of people living within her local community. Amrita sher gil painted this scene in 1938 before she left for her last visit to hungary. I want to achieve sonorous modulations of colour, an unctuous texture. Amrita shergil 30 january 19 5 december 1941 was an eminent indian painter born to a punjabi sikh father and a hungarian jewish mother, sometimes known as indias frida kahlo, and today considered an important woman painter of 20th century india, whose legacy stands at par with that of the masters of bengal renaissance. This book is based on interviews, documents, and photos provided by amritas friends and exhusband, victor egan. Amrita grew up with her younger sister indira sundaram and was very fond of her. Amritas father, sardar umrao singh shergil, was born in majithia, india, and was the eldest son of a noble aristocratic family in punjab, india.
Amrita shergil was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary, to umrao singh shergil majithia, a sikh aristocrat and a scholar in sanskrit and persian, and marie. Sleeping woman was created in 1933 by amrita shergil in postimpressionism style. This selfportrait of the iconic indian painter amrita sher gil 191941 represents more than a life. Amrita sher gil 191941, part indian sikh, part austrohungarian catholic, is easily the most celebrated of early indian modernists, as much for her vivacious persona and her long list of sexual conquests cutting across genders as for her passionately painted postimpressionist canvases that are yet to be seriously evaluated sans the smokescreen of her elite ancestry and colourful lifestyle. Shergil was born of an indian father and a hungarian mother. Amrita sher gil s life was as filled with passion and colour as her canvasses. Amrita shergil lived less than a kilometre away from where i spent my childhood and youth. Umrao was a scholar of sanskrit and persian with pronounced religious philosophical interests. Unlike her other works in india, beginning mid 30s of the twentieth century, where the figures are always prominently fore grounded here the group of figures in a misty, winter landscape is insubstantial. Amrita shergil 19 1941, colourful and innovative painter of modern india, was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary.
The book draws on the primary text of these letters to open up a visual narrative around the. Shergils work is a key theme in the contemporary indian novel faking it by. Amrita shergil painted the inner world of women like few other indian painters had, depicting them in countless moods and forms. Amrita shergil was born in budapest on friday 30th january 19, and in march 1914.
Beautiful and brilliant, amrita shergil lived life on her own terms, scandalizing the staid. In this fascinating biography, art historian yashodhara dalmia paints a. Commemorating her birth centenary, this collection of essays maps her creativity and life ranging from the early writings by past masters to modern and contemporary critiques. An artist of repute, shes remembered for her rebelliousness, bohemian lifestyle and numerous sexual escapades, with men and. She was born to a punjabi jat sikh father and a hungarian mother. Vivid color, graceful forms, and bold strokes mark the truly remarkable life and work of indian painter, amrita shergil. This book is based on interviews, documents, and photos provided by. Amrita shergil 30 january 19 5 december 1941 was a famous indian artist and painter. About the book unacknowledged during her life and considered an icon post he death, between these polarities lies the journey and the struggle for expression of one of the most enterprising and innovative artists of our times, amrita sher gil 191941. To celebrate the life and works of amrita shergil, the ministry of culture, government of india is organizing a series of events under the auspices of the centenary celebrations. Amrita shergil 191941, one of indias most eminent painters, died at the age of 28 but left behind a rich legacy. Amrita shergil as seen through her fathers photographs. Scroll down to see a selection of umrao singh shergils photographs of his infamous daughter through the years.
Amrita sher gil, painter who was one of the pioneers of the modern movement in indian art. Unlike the 1984 biography, amrita sher gil a biography, the author of this book never met amrita. Born of a sikh father from an aristocratic, land owing family, and a hungarian mother, amrita. Amrita shergil artist biography, paintings, artworks. Amrita sher gil 191941, one of indias most eminent painters, died at the age of 28 but left behind a rich legacy. This site is an online resource for amrita shergils biography, artwork, paintings, articles, awards, videos and books.
Beautiful and brilliant, she lived life on her own terms, scandalizing the staid society of her times with. Amrita shergil was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary, to umrao singh shergil majithia, a jat sikh aristocrat and a scholar in sanskrit and persian, and marie antoniette gottesmann, a hungarianjewish opera singer who came from an affluent bourgeois family. Sher gils passionate intensity and devotion to art placed her at the core of aesthetics in the indian subcontinent in the early 1930s. The format and content of this book is very similar to the 1984 biography amrita sher gil a biography. Amrita shergil is indias most distinguished and admired artist.
Amrita shergils life was as filled with passion and colour as her. Born in 19 in budapest, to a hungarian mother and an indian father, amrita spent her early years in hungary. She began painting by herself as a five year old and her parents arranged for her to have lessons later on after seeing her talents. Amrita sher gil had a gift for languages like her father, umrao singh sher gil who was a scholar of several languages even though he never learned hungarian and acquired the ability to express herself creatively in hungarian, english, and french at an early age. The figures in this one are like gems studded on an ochre foreground and a gleaming background afforded by the white walls of the houses. Great works edit edit source activate at a district or wonder with an available great work slot.
As a young girl in paris, shergil learnt about the basics of art at the. For this book in two volumes, amritas extant letters and writings are translated and reproduced from the originals in their entirety. Amrita shergil is one of the great people specifically a great artist in civilization vi. Her father, umrao singh shergil majithia, was a persian and sanskrit scholar, while her mother, marie antoniette gottesmann, was a hungarian singer. Born in 19 in budapest, to a hungarian mother and an indian father, amrita spent. The birth centenary celebrations of amrita shergil was launched in february 20 at the national gallery of modern art. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. This selfportrait of the iconic indian painter amrita shergil 191941 represents more than a life.