The story of Indian portrait art is a riveting and fascinating journey. From cave paintings, frescoes, and sculptures to painted photographs, portraiture in India has undergone a drastic change over the centuries. Defined as a recognizable representation of human individuals, the role of the portrait in India is multi-faceted. These images serve as the official chronicle revealing the history of the period and the personality of the individual depicted. At the same time, Indian portraiture also elaborates on the role of patronage i... Read more>>

‘Mona Lisa’ is one of the most iconic and recognizable portraits in the world. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci between1503 and 1506, it is an enigmatic half-length portrait painting wherein Mona Lisa’s captivating gaze and smile radiates mystery, sensuality as well as contentment. Owing to this depth and complexity of expression, this magnificent artwork is often regarded as the pinnacle of portraiture. Portraiture is a very old art form and dates back to more than thousands of years ago when it was reserved for depi... Read more>>

Traditionally used to decorate the prayer rooms, attics and other places of worship, Tanjore paintings have begun to find a place in plush living spaces as well as corporate offices. Owing to the newfound love of art enthusiasts as well as collectors and nouveau riche buyer, demand for eye-catching Tanjore paintings particularly Ganesha is increasing rapidly. Characterized by a blend of religious grandeur and earthy sensuality, these timeless paintings have hardly been well understood. Unlike other traditional Indian art forms, it ... Read more>>

Many Indian artists began with European echoes imbibing a lot of Western styles such as realism, cubism, abstraction and more in their work. However, it was during the post-independence period that Indian sculptures slowly pared down the existing dogmas and created works celebrating the simplicity of contours and minimalism. Today, there is more of a fusion of trends, wherein modernist Indian sculptors depict Indian mythology and history with the accents of European art forms and styles. We profile popular Indian sculpture artis... Read more>>

A pioneer of Indian modern art, Amrita Sher-Gil was among the greatest avant-garde women artists of the 20th century. Hardly acknowledged in her lifetime, her work especially the famous portrait paintings is considered among the most expansive by any Indian artist. Born in Budapest on Jan 30, 1913, to an Indian Sikh father (Umrao Singh Sher-Gil, a Sanskrit scholar) and a Hungarian mother (Maria Antoinette, an opera singer), her aesthetic sensibility was a blend of European and Indian elements. Growing up in Budapest, Hungary, Sh... Read more>>