Why a lecture on amrita sher gil at the lahore biennale. Amrita sher gill was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary. Vivan sundaram on the life story of amrita shergil youtube. Vivid color, graceful forms, and bold strokes mark the truly remarkable life and work of indian painter, amrita sher gil. Amrita shergil 191941, one of indias most eminent painters, died at the age of 28 but left behind a rich legacy. Who like a nobody has no time to hate, to love but is only hiding from pity. Shergil can perhaps be considered one of indias first truly sexually liberated feminists, who paved the way for a modernism in indian art and life that broke the rules when it needed to. Dec 17, 20 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 is often labelled the frida kahlo of india, likely for her exploration of indigenous indian culture as a means to selfdiscovery and a distinct artistic voice. Amrita sher gil, painter who was one of the pioneers of the modern movement in indian art. Amrita grew up with her younger sister indira sundaram and was very fond of her. She was the daughter of umrao singh sher gil majithia, a sikh aristocrat and marie antoinette gottesmann, a hungarian.
Amrita shergil 19 1941 was an eminent indian painter born to a punjabi sikh father and a hungarian jewishmother. New illustrated biography tries to make sense of amrita. Her paintings heralded the arrival of a new 6 singh, n. Umrao singh was a valued and respected friend of the artist. Beautiful and brilliant, she lived life on her own terms, scandalizing the staid society of her times with her love affairs and unconventional ways. Her father, sardar umrao singh shergil majithia, was an indian aristocrat and a wellknown sanskrit and persian literature scholar. How amrita shergil brought a modernist aesthetic to the. Why a lecture on amrita shergil at the lahore biennale. Amrita shergil and the representations of nonwestern. Victor egan in 1938 and moved to india for very last time. Mar 12, 2017 amrita shergil had a short life, but her oeuvre is very rich. Amrita shergil biography paintings, artworks, achievements. 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.
Her mother, marie antoinette, was a hungarianjewish opera artist. 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. The format and content of this book is very similar to the 1984 biography amrita shergil a biography. 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 antoniette gottesmann, a hungarianjewish opera singer who came from an affluent bourgeois family. A retake of shergils selfportrait as tahitian saloni mathur the nude. Her place in the trajectory of indian modern art is. Although being constantly anguished by her hybrid identity, shergil desired to represent a new subject matter and a pioneer in modern indian art with unconventional representations of nonwestern female bodies. Amrita shergil 191941 was an influential painter in the indian modern art movement. A 2006 auction made her most expensive woman painter of india. Vivid color, graceful forms, and bold strokes mark the truly remarkable life and work of indian painter, amrita shergil.
Born of a sikh father from an aristocratic, land owing family, and a hungarian mother, amrita shergils life veered between europe and india. Amrita shergil biography called indias frida kahlo, amrita shergil was a female painter who played an important role in 20th century india. Amrita shergil the indias frida kahlo dailyartmagazine. Amrita shergill was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary. Hungarian mother, amrita shergils life veered between europe and india. Amrita, shergil, paintings, works, photos, biography, books. Amrita shergils life was as filled with passion and colour as her canvasses. She is the one figure who has the largest body of scholarship about her. 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. Remembering amrita shergil, one who loved sex, art and india. Amrita sher gil 191941, one of indias most eminent painters, died at the age of 28 but left behind a rich legacy.
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. Amrita shergil biography childhood, life achievements. Artist vivan sundaram, who is nephew of amrita sher gil, an icon of modern indian art, speaks about twovolume epic story of his aunt which includes vast repertoire of her paintings. Amrita sher gil was born on 30th january, 19 in budapest, hungary. In 1941, however, amrita shergil passed away from a haemorrhaging, and died. Amritas diminutive, chaotic life was as crammed with obsession and colour exposed in her paintings, subsisted it on her vocabulary, disgusting the society of the time with her affection for interaction and exceptional ways. Amrita shergils life was as filled with passion and color as her canvasses. At 25, shergil decided to get married, and she chose victor egan, an impoverished cousin from her mothers side of the family. This book is based on interviews, documents, and photos provided by amritas friends and exhusband, victor egan. Amrita shergil, painter who was one of the pioneers of the modern movement in indian art. Shes sometimes known as indias frida kahlo today she is considered an important woman painter of 20th century india, whose legacy stands on par with that of the masters of bengal renaissance. Rather, they are a lot like her own dynamic and complicated identity.
Amrita shergil is often known as indias frida kahlo. May 28, 2014 amrita shergil 191941 was an influential painter in the indian modern art movement. Amrita shergil paintings buy posters, frames, canvas. Introduction like a hunted dog afraid, afraid and would i be the proud messenger. This book is based on interviews, documents, and photos provided by amrita s friends and exhusband, victor egan. Unlike the 1984 biography, amrita sher gil a biography, the author of this book never met amrita.
Because she is probably the most significant artist of the early twentieth century in prepartition south asia. Amrita shergils 1938 painting village scene, was the highest price paid for a painting in india at the time. 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. She is considered to be an important painter of 20thcentury india, and sometimes people call her indias frida kahlo. Her appeal with the composition and lyricism of pahari miniatures is manifest in her work. Drawn towards painting since a young age, shergil started getting formal lessons in the art, at the age of eight.
Artist vivan sundaram, who is nephew of amrita shergil, an icon of modern indian art, speaks about twovolume epic story of his aunt which includes vast repertoire of her paintings. Beautiful and brilliant, amrita shergil lived life on her own terms, scandalizing the staid society of her times with her love affairs and unconventional ways. Her father, umrao singh sher gil majithia, was a persian and sanskrit scholar, while her mother, marie antoniette gottesmann, was a hungarian singer. 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. The birth centenary celebrations of amrita shergil was launched in february 20 at the national gallery of modern art. Amrita shergils poems get to the heart of the conflict in the discussion of the artists life and work.
In this fascinating biography, art historian yashodhara dalmia paints a compelling portrait of the artist who, when she died in 1941 at. Amrita sher gil s life was as filled with passion and color as her canvasses. She was blessed with she was blessed with beauty, breeding, charismatic personality. The majority of works by amrita sher gil in the public domain are with the ngma, which houses over paintings by this meteoric artist. Her parents first met in 1912, while marie antoinette was visiting lahore. Amrita shergil was born on 30th january, 19 in budapest, hungary. Amrita shergil as seen through her fathers photographs. The format and content of this book is very similar to the 1984 biography amrita sher gil a biography. Amrita shergil 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 on a par with that of the masters of bengal renaissance. Amrita shergil flashed through the indian artistic horizon like an incandescent meteor. Here are some important points about her life and her work.
She was the daughter of umrao singh shergil majithia, a sikh aristocrat and marie antoinette gottesmann, a. Scroll down to see a selection of umrao singh shergils photographs of his infamous daughter through the years. Amrita shergil, south indian villagers going to market, 1937, from the collection of vivan and navina sundaram, new delhi shergil married her hungarian first cousin, dr. Amrita sher gil was born on 30 january 19 in budapest, hungary, to umrao singh sher gil 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. See more ideas about amrita sher gil, art and indian art. Shergil was born of an indian father and a hungarian mother. For this book in two volumes, amritas extant letters and writings are translated and reproduced from the originals, and in their entirety. 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.
Did the ajanta caves and gauguin influence amritas works. It is believed that egan had helped her procure two abortions previously, and would be a source of help and protection for the rest of her life. Amrita shergil and the representations of nonwestern female. She is also the most expensive woman painter of india. Amrita sher gil 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 on a par with that of the masters of bengal renaissance. She had a precocious talent for painting that was noticed early, and she was encouraged in her pursuit by.
Apr 04, 2006 unlike the 1984 biography, amrita sher gil a biography, the author of this book never met amrita. It was january 30th, 19, and the bell from the near by church tolled the hour of noon. Although being constantly anguished by her hybrid identity, shergil. Unlike the 1984 biography, amrita shergil a biography, the author of this book never met amrita. The countrys first woman painter ever, her legacy is unparalleled in indian arthistory. Mar 07, 2017 amrita shergil is often known as indias frida kahlo. Victor egan in 1938 and moved with him to india to stay at her paternal familys home in saraya in gorakhpur, uttar pradesh. Amrita shergil was born in budapest hungary, on 30th january 19 to umrao singh shergil majithia, a sikh aristocrat and a scholar in sanskrit and persian, and marie antoniette gottesmann, a jewish opera singer from hungary. Mar 28, 2015 torso by amrita sher gil in 6th december 1941, before her first major solo exhibition, she fell into serious illness and slipped into the coma. The times of india described amrita shergil as being, one of the most promising of the younger generation of indian painters. South asian art history really has very few figures like. Improve yourself, find your inspiration, share with friends.
A biography, vikas publishing house, new delhi, 1984, p32. In the meeting dr allama iqbal was also there and he too, was introduced to amrita. Amrita shergil continues to fascinate and engage peoples curiosity decades after her untimely death in 1941. Amrita shergil was a volatile personality amongst the artists of colonial. Before amrita dalma shergil 191941 came to be known as one of the finest avantgarde female artists of the 20th century, she was still a child, who. Amrita shergil, a pioneer of modern indian art, used her paintbrush to depict the daily lives of indian women in the 1930s, often revealing a. Rahman chughtai was introduced to amrita by her father umrao singh shergil. Amrita shergil january 30, 1, december 5, was an eminent indian painter, sometimes known as. The artistamrita shergil, the partindian, parthungarian painter who stands at the cosmopolitan helm of. Todays doodle honors the indian frida kahlo, who left no holds barred in. She was the elder of the two daughters and her sisters name was indira sundaram. Sher gil was born of an indian father and a hungarian mother. Beautiful and brilliant, amrita sher gil lived life on her own terms, scandalizing the staid society of her times with her love affairs and unconventional ways.
Amrita sher gil s life was as filled with passion and colour as her canvasses. Commemorating her birth centenary, this collection of essays maps her creativity and life ranging from the early writings by past. 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, and in their entirety. 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. The passionate quest at the national gallery of modern art, new delhi. In amrita shergils paintings, a cultural variation may be seen betw een the two periods of her life, rst one during her residence in europe and the next one after her arrival in the subcontinent. In her latest book, author anita vachharajani attempts to give a 180degree view of amrita shergils life to understand her evolution as a human being and artist. An artist of repute, shes remembered for her rebelliousness, bohemian lifestyle and numerous sexual escapades, with men and women, not least of all because she happened to belong to a society as traditional as indias in the early 40s. Her father, umrao singh shergil majithia, was a persian and sanskrit scholar, while her mother, marie antoniette gottesmann, was a hungarian singer.
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