Maqbool Fida Husain (1915-2011) was born in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, and grew up in Indore. Largely self-taught, he began his career painting cinema hoardings in Mumbai before emerging as a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group in 1947.

Husain developed a bold and dynamic visual language marked by sweeping lines, fragmented forms, and a strong sense of movement. Drawing from mythology, history, and everyday life, his work often reinterpreted familiar narratives through a distinctly modern lens.

He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Indian modern art, whose practice played a central role in shaping its post-independence trajectory.